You Saved Me From The Darkness (Part One of the Piece By Piece Series)
by LunaticFringe'sAngel-LA15
Summary: Dedicated to the user KozueNoSaru, inspired by the Kelly Clarkson song. Highschool AU. Colby, Jon, and Joe would one day be known as WWE's the Shield. Follow their past as they meet one fateful day after the summer of freshman year. Return to the beginning of their journey and watch the friendships, drama, & story unfold as they help each other through dark and desperate times.
1. Prologue: How It All Began

Prologue: How It All Began

A/N: Welcome old and new readers to the first prequel story of Fallen Angel Restored! If you haven't read that story already, you don't have to go and read it. You can if you want to. If you have, here's the prologue. Chapter one will be up shortly after, hopefully. Let me know your thoughts so I can keep improving my writing. Without further adieu, here is You Saved Me From The Darkness (Part One of the Piece By Piece series). Disclaimer: I own nothing but my story and ideas. I'm just a WWEFanGirl!

This is Roman Reigns. The Big Dog, the oldest brother, the Powerhouse. The muscle and man with reason behind the Shield, but that's in the future. Today, he was the new guy in this neighborhood. Well, one of them at least. (The other new kid lived about two doors down.) He had famous parents and relatives in the wrestling business, a talent in football, the ability to charm just about any girl (or guy, if they were into that), and the looks to pull off anything. He had wavy ravenette black hair, stormy grey eyes, beautiful tan skin, and tribal tattoos galore. He was almost six foot and still growing, only being a sophomore this coming school year. He had played football the last few years, planning on playing in the NFL, bulking up and having a strong build, but he was not in any way a dumb jock. His father and uncle, Sika and Afa, aka WWE's the Wild Samoans, had requested a few days off to help the family move in and settle. Roman's mother, Patricia was also there.

Roman Reigns was his name at school. At home, he was Leati Joseph Anoa'i, Joe for short. His birthday was May 25th and his hometown was Pensacola, Florida. His family descended from the Samoan Islands. They'd moved because his father's job had become more demanding, with his big push in the company and all, and their home was closer to where he'd be working. Sure, matches were wrestled all over the place, but most would only be a few states away instead of halfway across the country. He had a girlfriend, Galina Becker, who had also recently moved here because her parents had jobs here now. She was beautiful, smart, and already had her life planned out. A life planned out with Roman. He wanted so badly to text her and tell her he would see her soon. Just jump into her arms and never let go Before he could unlock his phone, however, his father called for his help.

"Joe! Help your uncle carry in some of the furniture! Stop texting Galina like some lovesick pup!" Roman groaned. He did enough weightlifting and working out during football season as it is. Though it wouldn't be difficult moving all the beds and dressers and upholstery, it would be a nuisance. "And while you're at it, help your mother stock things in the kitchen!"

"C'mon, Papa, just pick one already! I can't do both!" he shouted in reply. His uncle Afa slapped him upside the head playfully.

"Now now. Just help us both and he'll get off your back. At least make it look like you're helping. That's how I fooled him back in the day. *winks*" Roman smiled and took the other end of the loveseat he was carrying in. As soon as he was out of anyone else's sight, he retreated to his room and pulled out his phone. _We're moving in today and we're just around the corner. I'll c u soon baby._

She immediately texted back: _It's good to hear from u. I'll c u school next week, right?_

 _School?! We just got here._

 _The system is different than back home. I was surprised to hear it too. All u really need is a backpack, some pencils, and some paper. Maybe folders and a few binders. Meet me out front the first day?_

 _Wouldn't have it any other way._

"Joe! Are you up there texting? I thought I told you to go help with moving everything? Do I have to teach you another lesson?!" His father didn't sound angry, he just wasn't that kind of guy. He was calm, laid back, was the voice of reason. But, teach him a lesson meant showing and locking in a painful wrestling move on him that would leave him gasping in pain and tapping out in the middle of a room full of people. In favor of being able to walk later, he texted Galina a quick goodbye. _Got caught. We'll have to catch up l8tr. Love u._

 _Love u 2. Don't die befor again! :*_

 _Wouldn't dream of it. :3_ He pocketed his phone and ran downstairs, grabbing random food and shoving it into cabinets and the fridge just before Sika made his way into the kitchen. "That's more like it," he said with a smile.

"Give the boy a break. He's not used to moving around and adjusting like we are. Give him some time to say hi to everyone and settle down," his mother told her husband.

"He can socialize and relax when we've finished unpacking."

"Sika… Let. Him. Settle. Down. First." She put unnecessary force behind those words, making his father flinch and back away slightly. Afa chuckled.

"Your father may be older and meaner, but your mother is a firebrand!"

"You can say that again," Roman replied quietly before slipping out the front door and taking in his new neighborhood. Two doors down on the left was the other new kid. He had an unorthodox look about him, Gothic clothes and a streak in his hair, but seemed nice enough. The other new boy waved and flashed a friendly smile. He returned the gesture. Across the street from the new boy's house was a rather ramshackle home that caught his attention. In the upper left window sat a rough looking boy with messy brown hair and an angry glare. He would avoid him if that look said anything (it screamed: danger, potential bad boy punk, setting off alarm bells in his head), but for now, he was going to go give his girlfriend a surprise visit.

He headed down the street towards Galina's house, looking for the oak swing set on the front porch and the house with blue windows. He spotted it after a few more minutes of walking, the second house on the right, and made a beeline to the front door. He checked himself over to make sure he looked somewhat presentable. New tennis shoes, ironed jeans, a Chicago Bears T-shirt, hair tied back in a bun. Yep, he was good. He knocked the rhythm of the first line in his favorite rock song before ringing the doorbell. He heard thundering footsteps and the telltale giggles of his girlfriend before the front door was thrown open and she leaped at him. She was no average girl, she wasn't one to swoon over a guy or be super cheesy in a relationship. Most girls would jump into their boyfriend's arms squealing. Galina, though she wasn't a jock, picked **Roman** up and swung **him** in a circle. No one would ever suspect this could even be possible if they judged based on appearance.

"I take it you got out alive?" she asked him. He chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"Uncle Afa saved me with another distraction."

"One day, you're going to mess up horribly, and he won't be there to save you. When that day comes, I'll cry read the eulogy at your funeral." She snickered at the face he was making. A mix of fake hurt and surprise was shown.

"I thought you loved me! How could you just act like you don't care?" he asked in an overly dramatic and upset voice. "At least you didn't say you'd laugh. That would've just been harsh."

"Maybe I'll just have to say that next time then." She let go of him and walked back into her house. Before he could take the first step, however, a couch cushion collided with his face. He looked up and saw the mischievous glint in her eyes, seeing past her false innocent smile. She beckoned him in laughing, and he ran after her, a pillow in hand aimed at her back. If it was a war she wanted, it was a war she'd get.

"You won't get away with this, baby!"

XxX

This is Seth Rollins. The Architect, the baby brother, the two toned one. He was the brains and the flashy one behind the Shield. Today, he was the other new guy in the neighborhood. He had chocolate brown eyes, long straight black hair, one side partially dyed blonde, a lean figure, and would be labeled as one of those "pretty boys". His family was of Armenian descent, a small border country in the Middle East. He was into heavy metal and rock bands, loved skinny jeans for some reason, and was a major nerd. Forget a video game or comic store, just go to Seth Rollins' house. Being a major nerd also meant being a straight A honor student. That did **not** mean being in all the clubs people considered lame or for nerds and smart kids. He was also a wrestling fanatic, seeing a few locals hit the ropes and being instantly hooked. He also loved the Chicago Bears, hoping to play for them one day. Everything about him to the outside world screamed strange. The stranger thing was the fact that he was bisexual. Oh, how the teasing and bullying had been. His step-father, Shane, who he referred to as his actual dad, had been willing to listen and accept, understanding, but his mom? Their relationship hasn't been the same since. It wasn't too different, but it was never the same.

Seth Rollins was his school name. At home, he's Colby Lopez. His birthday is May 28th and his hometown is Davenport, Iowa. His old house was cramped and falling apart, and his dad had promised to save up enough money to buy a bigger, better one. His mom worked with his dad at some law firm place, so they were gone for most of the day. His mom took the all day position while his dad vied for one that was just during the day. He had spent more time with his dad ever since his mom's big promotion a few years back. She was hardly ever home these days, sometimes sleeping at her office. It hurt, but you got used to it after about four and a half years. Moving so often meant not having a lot of friends. The long distance friends he did have, like April "AJ" Mendez and Phil "CM Punk" Brooks, kept in contact when they could. They'd gotten quiet as of late. He'd moved where he knew no one, knew nothing about the town, and had no idea how the people were or how they would react to him. If this place was like everywhere else he'd lived, then not good. He'd once again be labeled faggot, freak, but he didn't care. He'd move soon enough and they'd forget about him.

Seth jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his dad, eyes weary, but happy, looking at him. "Do you think you'll like this town, bud?" Seth laughed softly and sadly.

"I severely doubt it. It's probably just like every other town we've been in."

"Well, we lived in the last one for almost a year. It's something, right?" His son sighed. With his mom being away so much and Seth's problems at school on top of the troubles at work, his dad tried his absolute hardest to make his son the happiest boy alive. He spent time with him, helped him with school work, went to all his school functions, taught him everything he knew, took him out to places. His father had no time to himself, and he liked it that way. He was always disappointed in himself for not being the best father he could be. It hurt Seth that his dad thought that way. "I'm sorry, son. I tried to keep the job back in Indiana, but your mom wanted to work here."

"You never have to apologize for anything, dad. I know you try your best. That's all I ask for. I'm grateful… And I love you for it." He gave his dad a long hug, glad they had such a strong bond.

"Whelp, we should probably get these last few boxes unpacked before we call it quits. *picks up a box labeled bathroom* Do you still wanna go for that drive around the city? We can go to that video game store that's a couple of blocks away," he said in a sing song voice. Seth clapped a hand over his mouth to conceal his quivering smile.

" 'Course we can. But if we get a new game while we're there, I call first dibs." He watched his dad chuckle and disappear upstairs as he ran to the car to pick up the last box for his room. Once outside, he saw the other new kid on the street, Joseph Anoa'i if he heard his dad right. He was tall, dark, handsome- No! He'd just seen the guy. He berated his train of thought as Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome (Ugh! Get a grip!) looked over. Seth grinned and waved, hoping they could be formally introduced later. He waved back and headed down the opposite side of the street. He probably had friends down here. Hopefully, the Anoa'i kid could be his friend, too. He would need all the familiar faces he could get come next week.

His dad had bought all the school supplies Seth thought he needed upon arriving in town. Soon after, they bought dinner (a few of the local seafood joint's take home meals) and food to stock their new kitchen. Now, Seth was in the process of baking a sort of Welcome to the Neighborhood pie for Mr. Tall, Dar- the other new guy's family. You couldn't go wrong with the family recipe apple pie, right? His father came back down stairs and smiled warmly at his son. Always so considerate and caring towards others. He could be stubborn to those he was close to, him being a prime example, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Especially in heartwarming moments like this. If only his wife could be here to see their loving son… He pushed those thoughts out of his mind, not wanting to dampen the mood. "That pie smells delicious. I'm glad you got your mother's cooking skills and not mine!" he exclaimed. He could cook the simple things, like a cake, cookies, eggs, pancakes. A pie was out of his skill range, as were many other things. Looks like Seth was cooking dinner from now on.

Seeing as how the pie had another half hour left to bake, he asked his dad something that'd been bothering him. "Hey, dad, who's the boy across the street?" While greeting his gorgeous new neighbor, Jesus, now is **not** the time to hit on guys!, he'd noticed a boy sitting in the upstairs window across the street. He looked about his age. He didn't look very friendly, though. Neither did the house. The dusty windows, worn brick exterior, and scratched up door made it look like a quickly made haunted house on Halloween. The only decent looking thing was the car, which looked almost brand new. It was a sleek black Chevy Camaro. It looked like the newest model. He hesitated to answer that question, having met the young man's mother earlier today.

"That's Jonathan Good. He's lived here for the past four years with his mom, Angie. I met the young woman. They had a rough life back in Cincinnati, Ohio. The husband was… let's just say he was bad news. He did horrible things to his family. She left with Jonathan when he was about eight and tries to live a clean life. She can't really hold a job since she's always immediately associated with her husband. She says she's got a boyfriend she's trying to settle down with, but he won't have it. She just wants her son to have a father figure. We talked earlier and she was saying how living around other teenage boys would be a good influence on him. Try and make friends with him if you can…"

"Wow. He does **not** have an apple pie life. No pun intended, by the way. *his dad snickers* He **does** look a bit sketchy though, dad. I know it's because of his past, but he could at least **try** to seem nice."

" *scoffs*You're one to judge. Remember when people thought that way about **you**? Don't give him a hard time. If **he** needs to try to seem nice, **you** need to as well. Who knows, you might have something in common."

"Maybe… So, how about hitting up that video game store?"

"Heh, just let me grab the keys. We'll go in a few. And don't let that pie burn!"

XxX

This is Dean Ambrose. The Lunatic Fringe, the second oldest, the wild child. He was the madman, unpredictable mouthpiece behind the Shield. Today, he was the melancholy kid next door. He'd actually managed to fall asleep to fall asleep without his insomnia kicking in, and then a moving truck interrupts his somewhat peaceful slumber. He didn't have dreams, no, never dreams. All he had was nightmares. If that asshole of a dad hadn't scarred him for life, he wouldn't be the mess of a 15 year old boy that he was. He couldn't get the man out of his mind though. His reflection was a constant reminder of him, as was his bad attitude and mindset. He was nearing six foot with messy light brown curls, sparkling deep blue eyes, a lean, but muscled build, and a look that could send grown men running for the hills. His mom used to call him Harry Potter because he had her eyes, but was exactly like his dad, looks and behavior wise.

Dean Ambrose was his school name. His name is Jonathan Good, Jon for short. His birthday is December 7th and his hometown is Cincinnati, Ohio. His mom was unemployed because his screw up of a dad had ruined her future just by knowing her. She had talked to a friend in town who had found a local bartender spot open at a place that wasn't too shady. Dean had a job at a mechanic's shop on the weekends that helped his mom pay the bills. It's the reason his car looked brand new. That Camaro was his baby. He always snagged a few of the new parts every time his shop got a shipment, always upgrading his car to be better and faster. Next door wasn't his only new neighbor. The guy a few houses down from him was too. In fact, that's the house the moving truck hauled things to in the middle of the night! At least the pretty boy and his dad were kind enough to just drive all their junk here.

"Jon, sweetheart?" a soft spoken voice asked. The troubled teen looked up from his spot on the windowsill to see his mother smiling nervously at him. She had reddish brown shoulder length, and the same piercing blue eyes as her son. Freckles lightly covered her face, which revealed laugh lines when she smiled. Her son had a few inches on her, but that didn't make her any less fierce. Don't let her kind, innocent looks fool you. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Mama," he greeted, somewhat deep, raspy voice echoing in his room. He got up and wrapped his arms around her, smiling as she pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. Her tortured son put on that tough guy façade around others. He was nothing but a teddy bear around her. "Do I **have** to go to school next week?"

" *sigh* I know you hate going, but I don't want you to end up in the same situation as me. I want you to have a good life. Run off and get a job, meet the perfect guy-"

"Or girl."

"Heh, you know you like boys better. Don't pretend you don't," she said with a smile. She had spotted the signs of her son being bisexual so long ago, it was almost funny. "Get married, have a family, settle down, be so rich you can send your poor old mom checks in the mail. *winks*" He chuckled softly and let her go. He knew his mom was trying. He knew that none of this was her fault, that she did what she could and then some. He tried to take as much pressure off of her as possible. He'd learned at a young age that it was every man for himself out in the real world. Just you and the small, **very small** , circle of close knit, life long best friends you could trust no matter what. He **would** be rich one day. He'd wrestle on sports entertainment's grandest stage in front of the entire world. He'd win his match, bring home the gold, and make his mother proud. He'd show up all those snarky, bitchy, know it all motherfuckers that told him he wasn't worth a rat's ass. And he'd take care of his mom.

"When I'm rich enough, I'mma get you outta here, mom. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you. And if something does, those sons of bitches'll pay."

"Jon, it's **my** job to keep **you** safe. You know I can handle myself…"

"What about when you get older and you can't? What happens then?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Now, *pats his head, much to his dismay* how about dinner?" His face lit up at the mention of food. He hadn't eaten in almost two days. That's just how bad it was right now. Sometimes she brought in loads of cash, enough to pay a few bills and get some groceries. Other times, they depended on Dean's tiny income, which was usually enough to pay the rest and then some. Just barely. "It's not much, but it'll do, right?" She'd set aside a bowl of some sort of vegetable soup and a sandwich from a nearby diner for each of them. Dean considered that a lot of food, and that's saying something.

"It's perfect. It's plenty." He ran to his seat and looked up to his mom expectantly. She took the seat across from him and clasped her hands in prayer. He had picked up his spoon and froze when he saw his mom. It had been years…

"I know you don't believe," she started, knowing religion was a touchy subject for her son, "but I do. Just… *shakily takes his hand in hers* At least this once." He nodded and closed his eyes. In no way did he believe in God. If there was a God, where was he when his dad did all those horrible things to them? When his mother struggled to get a job and they had to live on the streets? When his dad and mom's boyfriends forced him to sell drugs and cigarettes to pay the bills when he went out and bought booze? But his mother's words from all those years ago rang clearly through his ears, being one of the only times she'd ever snapped at him.

 _"Look, whether you like it or not, we're in this predicament. You're lucky to be alive! You know who's responsible for that? God is! If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here right now. If it wasn't for him, *gently caresses his tearstained cheek* I wouldn't have you…" An eight and a half year old Dean Ambrose sat crying on a park bench in his mother's lap. She never snapped at him, never got mad. He was scared to death he'd done something wrong. His fear disappeared when she stroked his cheek and her voice turned gentle again. "I can't always be there to protect you. I can't always be the gentle mom you know. Until we settle down in a home, you have to learn to be tough, to stand up for yourself. We're survivors. You'll see terrible things, things a child shouldn't know. You'll see me in a dark, dark place. But we'll get through it. My faith and beliefs have gotten me this far. One day, it'll be the only thing keeping you going…"_

Now, sitting at the table eating a rare dinner, he began to wonder if her words had truth to them. She never lied to him, she wouldn't start now. He still had his doubts, but he'd not dwell on the thoughts. "And just so you're not completely alone next week," she mumbled, interrupting his thoughts, "the boy across the street's name is Colby. I met his father, a sweet young men the both of them. The boy who moved in farther down the street's name is Joseph. Just so you won't be lonely. Try to be nice, even if people aren't nice back. And please try not to be in any more fights this year. I think the only reason your principal hasn't kicked you out is because I'm so pretty to look at…"

"There's no doubt about that," Dean chuckled.

"And Roy and I have talked again and he's agreed to try and live with us and see how things work out."

"I don't like him," he quickly cleared up his statement after the look his mother gave him. "What I mean is, he's nice, he has a job, he cares, but he doesn't seem different from the others. One day, he's gonna lose it and he's gonna hurt you. I won't let that happen, not again. If he's anything like dad-"

"I know you don't like him, but give him a chance."

"But I've got that gut feeling! You know I'm right, I always am-"

"Jon, let's just finish dinner. After that, you can go relax or take a walk outside. Maybe you could greet your new neighbors." He sighed and continued eating. Roy, her boyfriend of two years, was who she thought "the one" was. She was so sure this time. He'd been the longest boyfriend she'd had. Dean still didn't like it. Nevertheless, he finished his food and went upstairs after giving his mom a quick kiss on the cheek. She was conflicted, wishing she could solve all the problems her son was having. It'd never happen, so she took care of him the best she could and tried to live another day.

XxX

This was how it all began. Three very different boys coming from three very different homes and families. One day, they'd be reunited and become the Hounds of Justice, The Shield. They'd dominate the wrestling world, become the closest of friends, and something more, and then they'd come back to this town and reminisce about all that had happened. Sure, they'd have their differences and such in the future, but they'd always find their way back to each other. They would break apart, only to come back together stronger than before. If you told the boys their fate now, they'd call you crazy, laugh in your face. They'd never imagine their future ending up the way it did. That's a tale for another time. For now, they had to focus on surviving high school.

Closing A/N: Well, that's the prologue. I tried to write the same amount for each of the boys, but I may have written a bit more for Dean (curse my fangirling ways!). Got caught up in the moment. Don't know where the religion bit came from… Maybe me reading my bible that morning? Anyway, chapter one will be soon, but before you read it, are there any thoughts? Reviews and feedback are appreciated! :)


	2. Ch 1: Who's That Boy?

Chapter One: Who's That Boy?

A/N: As promised, this chapter is up. This is where the plot begins. Don't expect updates to be like this all the time. Again, the feedback and comments would be appreciated. Read, review, and enjoy!

Roman groaned as his alarm clock blared and woke him up. 6:45 A.M. That gave him about an hour and a half to get there. He had time to take a shower, get breakfast, and see the love of his life again. He rolled out of bed and landed on a pile of pillows with a soft thump! He smiled. Finally, he'd remembered to do that. He got up slowly, mind still clouded from sleep and stumbled to the bathroom down the hall by the stairs. He flicked on the lights and starred in the mirror, admiring his reflection almost. "Hello, handsome," he muttered sleepily. He brushed his hair slowly and carefully. If there was one thing Roman was picky about, it was his hair. Then, he took a quick hot shower, enjoying the warm spray as long as he dared, before getting out and getting dressed. He had on a new pair of tennis shoes, faded jeans, and a football jersey. He left his hair to hang around his shoulders before exiting the bathroom.

Usually, his mom cooked him breakfast. Seeing as how everyone was tired and not used to the new schedule, Roman decided to surprise them and cook it himself. He could kind of cook, nothing as good as Patricia, but he could come close. He saw his uncle snoozing on the couch, since they hadn't thought to buy an extra bed for the guest yet. Trying not to wake him, Roman began cooking some eggs. He got the salt, pepper, and other spices his family liked along with a whisk and mixing bowl. He grabbed a few empty pans from the cabinets along with cooking oil and began fixing everyone's food. After the eggs, there was toast and pancakes to be made. After that, there was bacon and sausages. By the time someone had woken up, Roman had finished most of his plate and was pouring some orange juice in a few glasses.

"Why can everyone cook but me?" Roman glanced at the stairs to see his father standing there, rubbing his eyes with a smile on his face. "Thank goodness you can cook. If your mom wasn't around, we'd probably starve!" Roman shushed him with a laugh, pointing to his slumbering uncle. Sika walked over and nudged his brother. "Afa, wake up! Come enjoy the breakfast your nephew cooked for you." The sleeping man swatted a hand in his brother's general direction before turning the other way. "Don't be rude to Leati, get your lazy self up!" Afa ignored him. Sika let out a frustrated breath before leaping on the couch and putting Afa in a Camel Clutch. His uncle yelped and both men ended up tumbling off the furniture, landing unceremoniously and loudly on the floor. There were shuffling footsteps and a grumbled complaint before Patricia came into view halfway down the stairs. Her hair was a mess and her eyes wild as she held up a baseball bat ready to swing if necessary.

"What in the-? Boys! Get up and fix the mess you made!" They'd knocked over a table and gotten pillows everywhere in their little bustle. "I swear, I feel like I'm raising three sons instead of one. You two are unbelievable. And Leati, that smells and looks delicious, honey." She put the weapon down and ambled over to her son. "I hope you can find a friend like that. Your father and your uncle are closer than close. You see the trouble they cause me? I'm glad you're not as bad as them." They'd fixed the living room, only to almost run into the dishes on a rack not two feet away from them. She facepalmed and went over to break them apart. Roman got up, put his dishes in the ink, and grabbed his stuff.

"I'll see you later, mama," Roman said, hugging her from behind and walking out the door. He was heading towards Galina's house when he remembered they were meeting in front of the school. His parents had been too busy to drive him to school, which only left him the option of riding the bus. He had begun walking towards where he thought the stop **should** be when he heard someone honk a horn from behind. He saw the other new boy sitting in the passenger's seat and glanced at the driver. ' _It must be his dad,'_ Roman thought. The car slowed when it caught up to him.

"Hey, you need a lift?!" the driver shouted at him. Roman nodded, making the man smile. "Hop in then," he replied, motioning towards the back seat. Roman climbed into the back with his things.

"Thank you, Mr… Lopez, right?" he questioned.

" *nods* I'm Shane, and no problem. I see you've met my son, Colby." The blonde and black haired boy turned around and gave him a shy smile. They'd met they day they'd moved in. Seth had decided to bake a pie and hand deliver it himself. He'd expected one of Roman's parents to answer the door. He didn't think he could deal with Roman when all he did was blush around the guy. Fate loves to torment him though, and that's exactly what happened.

XxX

 _"Heh, just let me grab my keys. We'll go in a few. And don't let that pie burn!" Seth's dad shouted._

 _"Don't worry, I won't. Actually, can we go after I give it to them?" His dad gave him that "Really?" look. "What? I just wanna be nice. It can't hurt to meet another kid before school starts, right?"_

 _"You're right, it can't. But are you sure you don't want to go look at the newest PlayStation games first?" Seth considered it. For about two seconds. As much as he loved video games, he still had morals and a conscience._

 _"I'm sure." He had taken a can of whipped cream out of the cabinets along with a knife and some chocolate, something to top the pie with. The pie really only had ten more minutes left in the oven. However, his dad didn't know there was second pie baking right behind it. The first pie was for the new guy, the other was for Jonathan. Might as well be nice to everyone while he's in the mood, right? He began chopping the chocolate into itty bitty pieces and sweeping them into a bowl. Of course, he cut himself a piece of chocolate and ate it. His dad rolled his eyes in amusement. Seth busied himself for the next twenty minutes. He rearranged the kitchen a bit, got food out for dinner (it was late afternoon, maybe 6 or 7 ish), and constantly checked the time. He quickly pulled his pies out of the oven and let them cool a bit. When they weren't too hot to touch, Seth topped them with the whipped cream and chocolate pieces. He smiled at his works of art_.

 _"Are you going to admire them all night, or actually give them to your neighbors?" His father's voice startled him, making Seth jump back and hit his head against the bottom of a cabinet. "Sorry, sorry! Ignore me, because I'm **so** not taking you to nerd central later…" Seth immediately grabbed a pie and ran out the door, wanting to take full advantage of the 50% off sale at the local game store. He ran down two doors to his right and stopped to catch his breath. He should've just walked. He took straightened out his clothes and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, someone answered the door. That certain someone was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome himself. Seth blushed and averted his gaze from the hot man (again, not the time!)._

 _"Oh, hey. You're the other new kid down the street, right? I'm Joe."_

 _"Yeah, um… I'm, uh, I'm Colby…" They shook hands before Roman looked at what was in his hands_.

 _"You brought pie?! Dude, you're awesome! It looks really good too." The older boy's mouth waters at the scent. Apple pie covered in whipped cream and chocolate. A masterpiece in his opinion._

 _Seth was blushing now, just by being in close proximity with him. The beautiful tan skin, the addicting stormy grey eyes, his luscious hair. He had to try hard not to reach out and brush his hands through the shiny black strands. "Well, uh… here you go. It was, um, nice meeting you, Joe. S-See you at school next week?"_

 _"Yeah, we'll catch up then." He quietly closed the door behind him and Seth felt a weight lift from his chest. Now, all he had left was Jonathan's pie. Well, this was going to be interesting_ …

XxX

The ride to school was quiet, save for the occasional questions Seth's dad asked Roman. They'd moved in from Pensacola because of his father's job. He was looking to pursue a career in football after high school, trying to make it into the NFL. When his dad asked about wrestling, Roman tensed. He mentioned something about his parents being in the business and left it at that. Seth's dad thought about it, put two and two together, and smiled. "Wait a minute. The man down the street. Is your dad… Afa or Sika?"

"S-Sika, sir," Roman replied, a bit embarrassed that someone had guessed it so easily. "Afa is my uncle."

" *turns around in seat* Wait. Afa and Sika as in the _Wild Samoans_?! Your dad and uncle are the- I'm sorry. I'm a huge, huge fan, I-I can't help it!" Seth exclaimed, being a total fanboy for a second. Roman chuckled at the reaction. So Colby was a wrestling fan. Interesting… Seth looked at him for a second before quickly looking away, cheeks tinged pink. Blushing in front of his crush, in front of his **dad** no less. Embarrassing. Shane silently laughed at his son. Somebody had a crush… The two toned teenager turned back around and tried not to think too much about the hot guy sitting in the back seat. Luckily for him, his new high school appeared just as they were turning the corner. It was like your typical high school: made of red brick, had two floors, huge parking lot, sat across from its football stadium, had its brick sign welcoming you to the school. Both boys looked at the building in wonder, not as bad as they thought it would be. Seth's dad stopped the car and let them out.

"I'll see you after school, Colby. You need a ride, Joe?"

"No, sir, but thank you. My parents'll pick me up." He nodded and drove off. Roman looked over and saw Seth reading over his class schedule. He then looked up and saw his beautiful girlfriend waving him over. "Hey, Colby? I have to go, but we can hang out more later, alright?" The younger boy looked up with slightly wide eyes and a nervous smile.

"Y-Yeah, sure." Seth watched his crush walk towards a pretty girl. When he saw them kiss, his stomach dropped. Of course he was straight. Why would he think otherwise? He plopped down on one of the benches provided and looked over his schedule. Homeroom, Pre-Cal, US History, Environmental Science, Gym, Lunch, Health, English II. Apparently, they sort you into advanced or general classes based on your first two weeks' classwork and test grades. His day didn't seem too bad. If only he could stop thinking about the Samoan Royalty his dad had driven to school this morning. Gosh dang it.

XxX

"Joe!" Galina pulled him into a bear hug and kissed him hard. "I didn't think you'd be here this early! Who drove you here?" Roman pointed to his neighbor.

"That kid over there, Colby, and his dad offered me a ride. They're my new neighbors. They moved in the same day I did."

"He's kinda cute. He looks like a girl though."

"Says the girl who's a major tomboy!" Oh what a surprise Roman would receive when she became a model.

As the two playfully bickered, another car pulled up. Roman recognized the black Camaro that slowed to a stop as the car outside that shady looking house across from Colby. Out stepped that boy who'd glared at him. He wore ripped, faded jeans, old, battered sneakers, a stained white T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. He was rocking the cliché bad boy look. The boy's curly brown hair fell slightly over his eyes and he couldn't be much shorter than Roman. "Galina, baby? Who's that boy?"

"Oo, you don't wanna associate with him. That's Jonathan Good. He's got a bad attitude, a nasty temper, and a mean streak. I'm surprised they didn't kick him out of school with all the fights he was in last year. I'm shocked that he made it to sophomore year too." Roman looked him over. The guy didn't look very friendly. He also didn't look like he came from a very nice home life.

"Have you ever… talked to him?" Roman asked nervously. Galina scoffed.

"Twice. The first time, I was just saying hi, and he started hitting on me! I mean, he was being nice, but that's just sick! The second time, he just glared at me like some rabid animal. I swear, he's got no manners, no life, and no respect."

"Remember when we first met, and you thought I was just some dumb jock knucklehead who didn't care about anything? Look where we are now." She scoffed.

"It's not the same."

"How? How is it different?"

"For one, you have a sweet personality. It was just who you decided to show it to that changed my opinion. Jon has a bad reputation of hating everyone. No one likes him, and he doesn't like any of them. He's never been kind to anyone!"

"Has anyone ever been kind to him first?" She didn't know how to answer that question. Just as he was about to ask more about him, he saw Seth walk over and talk to him. He didn't look the least bit nervous. The other boy glared at him before nodding, and the two walked over to the bench Seth was sitting at. Galina gaped at them while Roman just looked puzzled.

"Did that boy just-?" Roman nodded, now even more curious than ever about the two. He'd have to find them later and ask. At the moment, his girlfriend was going to show him around the school.

XxX

Dean wasn't in the best mood. He hated his school, hated everyone in it, and would rather be attacked by one of his mom's crazy boyfriends than endure those seven hours. His mother, of course, almost dragged him out of bed when he didn't turn off his alarm. She comforted him and promised she'd be down there the minute something bad happened. He was still reluctant to go, but he'd do anything to see a smile light up his mother's face. He picked out an outfit that wasn't too worn out and was at least somewhat clean. It's kind of hard to have clean clothes with a broken washer. He settled for a plain T-shirt, a pair of jeans that still fit him, or at least weren't too tight, a pair of snug sneakers, and his leather jacket. Breakfast was the food he'd managed to steal from a coworker at the mechanic shop, the man not even noticing that some of his sandwiches had gone missing. He gave the other to his mom, who accepted it with suspecting eyes.

"Do you know where the keys are? We've got to go soon."

"They're somewhere in my drawers." He jogged up to his room and started fishing around. Some loose change here, an old wrestling action figure there, and… Dean froze when he saw the cracked picture frame that covered his keys. He grabbed the keys and pocketed them, but couldn't help picking up the old photo. A six year old version of himself stood in between his beautiful mother and… And his dad. He was almost the spitting image of the man. Hair, build, dimples and all. The eyes were the only way his mother could tell them apart was an old joke when they were still a family. His dad had his arms around him and smiled warmly and lovingly down at his son. His mom giggled at the two of them. That had been the day they'd all gone to an amusement park. They'd gone to a water park, ridden roller coasters and fast spinning rides, a ferris wheel, even the drop ride that had him clinging to his mother, though he'd never admit it.

"Jon?!" she called from downstairs. Dean quickly wiped the tears out of his eyes and set the picture down before heading back downstairs. His mother met him halfway, saying she'd fix his room, as best as she could (messy wouldn't even **begin** to describe), while he warmed the car up. She picked up clothes strewn across the floor and opened his curtains. She'd just finished straightening up his bed when she saw the picture. It was one of the only good memories she had left of her time with her husband. She sighed, knowing Dean would never get rid of it, and joined her son. She got in the driver's seat and drove him to school. Once they got there, she leaned over in her seat and kissed him light my on the cheek. "Will you be fine getting home?"

"It's only a couple minutes walk, mama." He kissed her cheek as well before saying, "... I-I love you." She was about to cry right then and there. Rare it was to hear him say those words. They weren't something he threw around lightly, not since... She beamed.

"I love you too, sweetheart. I'll see you tonight." She watched her son go from her sweet, loving son to cold, angry, and bitter as soon as he was spotted. She sighed and drove off, hoping the first day would go as planned. Dean, oblivious to his mother's conflicted thoughts, walked towards his usual seat out front. He was surprised to see the pretty boy across the street occupying it. _'Don't. He doesn't even know you yet. Don't push him away now._ ' Before he had to tell him to get up, the boy looked at him and started heading in his direction. Huh, that was new. People usually ran the other way when he was around.

"Hey, Jonathan. Do you remember me?" Dean glared at him. Stay calm. Keep it cool.

"Yeah. You're the pretty boy from across the street… Colby, right? Thanks for the pie by the way. 'Preciate it…" Seth was surprised by his sudden kindness. When they'd met, it certainly hadn't been the most pleasant experience.

"You're welcome… Do you have your class schedule on you?"

Dean scoffed, " 'Course I do." He fished out a crumpled piece of paper from his jeans pocket. Seth looked it over with surprise.

"We have the exact same schedule! Who woulda thought, right?" Dean frowned at him, looking for himself to confirm the statement. Huh, what do you know? There was much more to it than either of them knew.

"So, I'm stuck with you everyday?"

"Hey!"

"It wasn't an insult," the brunette said with his hands up.

"Well, if we're gonna be seeing each other everyday, we should at least hang out a little, right?" He gestured towards the bench that held his backpack. Dean contemplated it for a moment. On one hand, he didn't trust the blonde as far as he could throw him, which was pretty far if he had anything to say about it. On the other, he was actually being nice to him. He wouldn't turn away from him for now. He followed Seth to the bench.

"Alright then. I'm game if you are, pretty boy."

"I have a name, Jona-"

"It's just Jon." Dean deadpanned.

"Jon. Okay."

"Besides, I'd much rather call you pretty boy than Colby." Seth pursed his lips, but decided to let it go. He'd have to get used to it eventually. Be nice, and be his friend, even if it was no simple task. Besides, he promised his dad and Dean's mom anyway. "It's the only thing that describes you..." Seth blushed slightly at that.

"Y-You think I'm pretty?" he asked. Dean shrugged.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. You want me to show you around?" Seth nodded after giving him a confused and embarrassed look. Well, this year just got a lot more interesting.

Closing A/N: Just a quick comment. Everyone calls the boys their actual names until a certain part of the plot happens (no spoilers), but I'll still refer to them as their wrestling persona names. Let me know what you think so far and I'll see you next chapter!


	3. Ch 2: The Start of a New Friendship?

Chapter Two: The Start of a New Friendship… Maybe

A/N: Not much to say, except that ROMAN, YOUR FANS (no matter how few there are left) WILL HUNT YOU DOWN FOR THIS, and that this continues where chapter one left off. Also, did any other WhatCulture fans catch the first episode of WCPW? How dare you, Adam Blampied… The original belt was special. How dareth you?!

The tour of the school wasn't too bad. There were three floors to the building. The first floor was for underclassmen, freshmen and sophomores, but also contained the front office (including the counselor's office and such), cafeteria, and gym. The second floor was for elective classes, like art, music classes, technology and computer classes, and also held the offices for the heads of sports/clubs along with, strangely, the auditorium. "Don't ask me why, 'cause I don't know. Don't care either. This place is just as screwed up as the rest of the city." Seth didn't know how to respond to that. The third floor was the for upperclassmen, library, and study hall. "What really sucks, is if you have, like, AP and advanced classes. Runnin' up those stairs is a pain, let me tell ya."

"And you know this from experience?" Seth questioned. Dean looked at him all serious before he burst out laughing. It was a touch on the maniacal side, but it made Seth smile to know he'd caused a positive reaction in the teen. He didn't want to judge a book by its cover. Certainly not Dean, who wasn't as bad as he originally appeared.

" **Me**? Be in the advanced classes? Pfft. You'll find out soon enough just what kinda guy I am in a classroom. You'll never think that again," the brunette told him, still laughing a bit. ' _I'll never think a lot of things about you again_ ,' Seth thought, remembering his last encounter with Dean before school started. When Seth said it was not a pleasant experience, he meant it.

XxX

 _Well, now that he as done drooling over Mr.- the hot new guy two doors down, Seth had one more pie to deliver. He made his way back into his kitchen, still blushing after the conversation of sorts with his crush. However, he was thinking about what he was about to do and wondering if he was crazy. Jonathan didn't exactly look very friendly… He pushed the thought aside. He'd baked the pie for a reason, might as well go through with it, right? It didn't stop him from having doubts. "Are you going to actually deliver that pie, or do we have to eat it ourselves?" Seth whirled around and nearly knocked some silverware off the counter. His dad had to have been a ninja back in his day because he had a really bad habit of being able to pop up out of nowhere without a sound. It freaked him out sometimes. Seth blushed and picked up the pie, heading out the front door._

 _He looked across the street at the eery house. It seemed to radiate more and more bad vibes the closer he got. He crossed the street quickly after looking both ways and slowly walked up to the front door. He stopped his hand in midair, hesitating to alert his new neighbors of his presence. 'All you have to do is give them the pie and leave. It's not that hard,' Seth thought to himself. Determined to see this through, Seth rang the doorbell and waited. He heard two sets of footsteps. One seemed to be coming from a set of stairs while the other seemed to come from a hardwood floor. Seth had lived in so many different houses it was almost impossible not to know how your feet sounded on different types of floors, whether it was carpet, hardwood, tile, glass, stairs, concrete, marble, etc. The door cracked open slightly and a pair of bright, beautiful sapphire eyes peered back at him. Seth tilted his head in confusion like a lost puppy._

 _"Um…" was all Seth could get out before he saw movement behind the door. A set of fists swung out at him and he leaped back, forgetting there were stairs behind him, stumbling and falling on his ass with a hard thud. Luckily, Seth was able to save the pie, which went sailing through the air after that. He knew that this was a bad idea._

 _"What the- What the fuck are you doing here?" Dean asked. When Seth observed him more closely, he noticed that Dean was wearing a pair of brass knuckles. Thank God he'd avoided those. Dean was dressed in a pair of loose basketball shorts that hung low on his hips and a ripped, faded t shirt a few sizes too small. Seth did not stare at his slim waist. Nope. He walked over to Seth and glared at him. "Get lost," he growled. Seth gingerly got up, all confidence gone, replaced by anger, and looked down at the pie in his hands. He could easily walk home and eat it with his dad… Or throw it in Dean's face…_

 _"Dude, you could've put me in the hospital with those!" he yelled alarmed, trying not to let his anger show. Dean just glared at him and shoved him back._

 _"Leave," he said, voice threatening. "Now. Or else. Don't you have better places to be?" The two toned teen held his tongue before he could respond with some snarky comment. Seth would defend himself if this situation called for it, but now was not the time. And judging by the muscles straining against Dean's shirt, he'd probably lose. He shot a hurt look Dean's way and took a few steps back. Before he could act on that, a beautiful woman walked up behind Dean and scowled at the brunette. She had eyes just like him, but redder hair, smaller facial features, and was a few inches shorter than him._

 _"Are you wearing your brass knuckles? You were expecting Roy, weren't you?" Dean tensed and nodded slowly, putting his head down in shame. Who the heck was Roy? "You must be Colby. I met Shane earlier. I'm Angie, and you've just met my son, Jonathan." Seth held out his free hand to her and they shook._

 _"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am," he said with a weak smile. She was still looking at Dean with a frown. Dean shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. His fingers were twitching, seemingly unable to keep still. His posture radiated guilt. Dean looked at him with teary eyes, which Seth didn't understand. Just a minute ago, Dean was sending him death glares and yelling at him to get lost. What's with the heartbroken look?_

 _"… Sorry 'bout that…" Dean muttered brokenly before running back inside and out of sight. Seth looked confuzzled at the reaction. What was that? Dean's mom sighed and shook her head._

 _"You'll have to excuse my son. He's very protective of me because of the life we've lived. He's too tough for his own good if you ask me… So, what did you come by for?" Seth held the pie out to her and her eyes lit up instantly. Food. Dessert no less. That was a rare delicacy in the Good household. "I- thank you. You have no idea how helpful this is," she said to him quietly. Seth smiled at her._

 _"It's no problem, really. Thought you might appreciate it." The two toned teen turned to leave before feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder._

 _"Before you go, can I ask something of you?" Seth turned back towards her with a curious look._

 _"Of course you can," he replied._

 _"Jonathan, he can… He's not the friendliest boy around let's say. He had a rough childhood, doesn't trust a soul but me, doesn't live close to his only friends anymore. He pushes people away and beats himself up about it because he can't get anyone to like him. He bullies others because they bully him. Can you look out for him in school? Maybe become a friend, someone he can talk with and open up to?" Her tone bordered on pleading. Dean must've really had it bad back then. Dean did not sound like someone he'd want to be around everyday though. He didn't want to find out how much truth was in those high school movies and cartoons. Seeing the desperate look on her face and the tone of her voice is what convinced him. That, and the personality flaw of always putting others before himself. Having the capacity to be kind was something Seth wished didn't exist for him sometimes._

 _"Sure I can. I'll try my best. Promise." Angie squeezed his shoulder._

 _"Thank you," she told him, before heading back inside and closing the door behind her. Seth stared at it for a bit. Be friends. With the guy who looked ready to punch his lights out at the sight of him. With the guy who picked on other people and only cared about himself. With the guy who had virtually no one. And he'd just promised the boy's mom to do his best to fix all that. What had he just agreed to?_

XxX

Dean was not the same person he had been that day. Dean was more easy going, willing to tolerate his presence, albeit rather reluctantly, and seemed to have a touch, just barely, of kindness in him. Never again would he think of Dean as nothing more than a boy who hated the world, though he probably did, or someone who didn't care about the people around him. "So," Seth said, trying to start up a conversation, "You hang out with anyone around here?" Dean gave him a look.

"Ain't no one stupid enough to try," Dean replied. They continued walking, trying to find their first classroom. "Besides, don't you need friends to be able to hang out?" It couldn't be that **bad** for him, could it? Room 105 for homeroom.

"What about after school stuff? Are you in anything? Clubs, sports, groups, anything?"

"What's with all the questions about me?" Dean asked annoyed. Seth put his hands up.

"I'm just wondering. Maybe it's something I'll be interested in." Dean snorted. ' _Or something we have in common that makes this whole friends thing easier.'_

"I doubt you'll be interested in anything I do. But if you're gonna keep botherin' me about it, I'm on the wrestling team." Seth stopped in his tracks. Another wrestling fan. Finally, after six different schools and three different states (consisting of Iowa, Indiana, and currently Ohio), he'd found someone. Dean looked back at him, puzzled, and stopped as well. "What?" he asked.

"You're a wrestling fan? What promotion do you watch?" was all Seth could ask. Dean looked at him as if the answer was obvious.

"WWF, ECW, CZW, a little bit of ROH. What else would I-"

"Who's your favorite superstar?"

"Uh, The Undertaker. Why are you so concerned with-"

"How'd you end up becoming a fan? Did you see it on tv, go to a live show-"

"Enough with the questions!" Dean shouted at him. Seth shut his mouth, looking away embarrassed. Of course he would go into full blown fanboy mode around someone he was trying to be friends with. Good grief. "Yes, I'm a huge fan. Wrestling is **everything** to me. Can we move on, please?" he said exasperatedly. Seth nodded, cheeks a bit red for the second time that morning.

"Sorry. Not many people seem to be fans around here, and I just-"

"No. It's fine. I just… I didn't mean to snap at you… And I'm, uh, sorry… about Saturday." Seth gawked at him. He's about to rip his head off one moment and asking for forgiveness the next. Dean was a mystery to him. "Was uncalled for…" After a tour of the first floor, Seth and Dean headed upstairs into the electives hallway.

"Into any of this stuff?" Seth asked. Dean looked around at the different classrooms.

"Nope. Can't draw, paint, make a single good sound on an instrument, dance, none of that. Trying to teach me about technology is a lost cause no matter how simple it is. I can't afford the home ec class, even though I can cook and do house stuff and all that. I'm not half bad at singing, but I'm not gonna sit in class and learn songs no one's heard of and put on some monkey suit to perform in front of people who don't care. Coach Thatcher's office is over there though," Dean told him, pointing to the first door on the left. The hallway was covered in posters, paintings, murals, sheet music, choreography sheets, etc. all along the walls. They peaked inside a few classrooms before heading up to the third floor.

Seth's eyes instantly went to the library doors, practically begging Dean to take him there. Dean rolled his eyes, but took him there anyway. Seth was instantly in love, eyes roaming around the huge room. Bookshelves upon bookshelves upon computers upon comics upon manga upon magazines upon study rooms were there. Maybe school wouldn't be so bad after all. "Oh no. You're not one of the nerds, are you?" The younger teen looked at him with an innocent smile.

"Heh, maybe?" He pulled a fantasy book off a shelf and read the summary on the inside cover. Dragon riders, elves, magic, wherever the book takes place. He made a mental note to check it out later when he got the chance. "It's mostly comics for me, but I won't say no to a good book."

"So, you'd do my homework if I asked you to?" Dean asked hopefully with a toothy grin. Seth frowned at him.

"Not a chance. I've known you for, what, a few days? When we met, you tried to kill me."

"By accident."

"You still tried to. Besides, it's gonna take a lot more than showing me around to get me to do **anything** for you." Okay, that came out a little harsher than intended. Dean's look darkened and the grin disappeared from his face. Ouch. He didn't mean it like that, he didn't.

"C'mon, don't want the pretty boy to be late on the first day now, do we?" Dean said icily, almost teasing him. All the warmth, the very tiny amount of it, in his voice had disappeared. The amusement in his eyes had been replaced by malice. Seth looked away, following a few steps Dean back to their first class. The bell was set to ring in a few minutes. Seth noticed the rest of the students crowded in the hallways throw funny looks at Dean. Some were in fear while others were in disgust, anger, hate, etc. He could feel the negative emotions rolling off the students in waves. They parted to let him through, not wanting to be anywhere near him. The two toned teen hurried to catch up with him, trying not to get lost. He headed inside their classroom, taking the desk next to Dean. The brunette threw him an annoyed look before leaning back in his chair.

"Psst… Lopez," Seth heard someone whisper. He looked around until his eyes fell on Roman, who was beckoning him over. Seth hoped nobody noticed the blush threatening to show on his cheeks. The dude was taken, Seth. Get over it and move on with your life. Next to him sat his girlfriend he'd seen earlier. The seat on his other side was empty. It was until a swooning blonde stole it before Seth could move. Seth gave Roman an apologetic shrug before turning back around. On the board was their teacher's name, something he couldn't pronounce, the supplies they needed for the class, and their first assignment. On the first day?

"Settle down, everyone," she said with boredom. The rest of the class looked up at her for a moment. "It's so nice to see such lovely young faces here." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she scowled at Dean. The Cincinnati native waved and gave her a cold smirk. "I'm Mrs. (Name with at least twenty letters that was definitely not easy to say)- Who?! What country is that from? Why are there so many letters in that name?- and this is your homeroom. There's your instructions on the board. Ugh, go ahead and start." Meet and greet? Introduction worksheets? Really? What were they, five? No one really moved to get the rest of the assignment. Friends went and sat by friends, couples sat together, cliques assembled. Seth grabbed Dean's arm and dragged him towards Roman and Galina. Dean protested and tried to wrench his arm from Seth's iron grip. No dice.

"Hey, Joe," Seth greeted. He finally let go of Dean's arm, who was grimacing at him. "This is my, uh, friend, Jon. Jonathan Good. He lives on our street." Roman looked at Dean, face stoic and eyes calculating. That boy who'd glared at him the day he moved in. Jon looked like trouble, but he was willing to give him a chance after what he heard about him. He held out his hand. Dean stared at it confused before slowly extending his hand to shake it.

"Good to meet ya, man." Dean told him.

"Nice to meet you too, Jon. I'm Joe Anoa'i. And this *pulls Galina onto his lap* is my beautiful girlfriend, Galina Becker."

"Hi, boys." She winked at Seth, who smiled politely in return. She was a beautiful girl, no doubt, but he just didn't swing that way at the moment, especially with Roman sitting **right there**. Dean noticed this and gave him a confuzzled look. Seth shrugged, hand reaching out and touching Dean's thigh. The brunette flinched a little before relaxing when Seth's hand didn't move. He moved his hand until it hovered right over Dean's crotch before pulling his hand back. Luckily, no one had noticed. Dean's eyes went wide at the realization (how he understood that, he had no idea), staring at the other boy like he was some weird specimen in a zoo. Then, he smiled at him softly and nodded. So he wasn't alone.

The four talked about their summers, their friends their home lives. Dean didn't really contribute much to the conversation, seeing as how he had a really ify past. Roman and Galina basically told them everything, as did Seth. Roman's dad was Sika, the professional wrestler, which Dean instantly looked wowed at. Roman noticed the reactions. **Both** of them were wrestling fans? Oy vey. He played football for the school. Galina came from a pretty normal family, led a tomboy life, nothing significant. Seth was the world's biggest nerd who loved wrestling. Enough said. Dean was a bad boy. He didn't do much at home except workout or laze around his house. He was on the school's wrestling team and didn't really say much about his home life. By the time they'd finished, their teacher had tried to get their attention for roll call.

Someone Allen. Someone Andrews. "Lea- Hmm…"

"Oh boy," Roman whispered sadly. He sighed before speaking up. "Leati Anoa'i. Just call me Joe." He raised his hand. Mrs. What's Her Face made a note on her clipboard and continued.

Someone Bailey. Someone Banks. Someone Beech. "Galina Becker?" Galina raised her hand and shouted, "Here!" from the back of the room. Five letters later… Someone Gainey. "Jonothan? Ugh. Here, unfortunately." Dean put on his best trademark grin and put his feet up on the desk in front of him, chair tipped back on two legs and arms tucked under his head. Seth scowled at how she addressed him.

" 'Sup teach? Have a nice summer back home with your seven cats? Or was it six? I think I ran Mr. Paws over with my car last week." The rest of the class started laughing. Roman shook his head while trying not to smile. Galina facepalmed while Seth smirked. The forty year looked baffled and looked down.

"Mr. Paws is fine. You hit Penny…" she said quietly, apparently embarrassed. Everyone cracked up even more, banging fists on desks and falling on each other. She tried getting through the rest of the list without her voice shaking. Five more letters later. Someone Lane. Someone Lacy. Someone Lexus. Someone London. Someone Long. "Colby Lopez?"

"Present, ma'am," Seth said from the back. She smiled kindly at him before finishing attendance. Some of the other boys snickered at his politeness. Galina and Roman smiled at him while Dean elbowed him lightly in his side.

"Teacher's pet." Seth shot him a look.

"Am not!" he protested. The bell rung at that point, signaling for everyone to leave. As he made his way out, one of the other boys tried tripping him with his foot. Dean caught him as he stumbled forward. They both shot icy glances at them before heading to their math class. "Thanks," said Seth. Dean shrugged. The rest of the day went about as good as the first class. Seth and Dean sat by each other, attracting weird looks from everyone but the teachers, talked a bit, tried surviving their first day back. At lunch, the four sat together and talked, Galina still not convinced that Dean wasn't such a bad guy. Seth was a healthy eater, Dean ate everything that wasn't, and Roman and Galina were somewhere in the middle. Gym class rolled around and Seth was surprised that Dean actually participated. He was one of the only guys left standing by the end of class. There were a group of jocks, this one girl who looked skinnier than a toothpick, Seth, Roman, and himself. English was the last class of the day, and everyone got a copy of some 500 page book no one had heard of and was told that they should be doing nightly reading logs about the amount of pages they read. Everyone groaned, nerds, jocks, slackers, and all.

The final bell rung and everyone was eager to get home, relax, see some old friends. Dean looked anything but happy that school was out. "You okay, man?" Seth asked him. Dean grunted an inaudible answer and started walking down the street. "Wait wait wait. My dad could give you a ride home. You're just across the street after all." Dean shook his head.

"Thanks, pretty boy, but no thanks. I'll walk." Seth didn't know why, but he was determined not to let him walk home alone. He grabbed Dean's hand and instantly felt electricity flow through his veins. Every nerve was set ablaze and he felt like he was flying. Everything and nothing made sense all at the same time. Time slowed to a stop and, for a moment, it was just those two. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. Sparks flew between their fingertips and when they locked eyes… They couldn't look away even if they wanted to. _What was this feeling?_ Seth seemed surprised while Dean seemed scared, though they didn't show it. Luckily, Seth's dad pulled up and interrupted the awkward moment. Seth dragged him into the back seat with him and finally let go of his hand. Shane smiled at the two.

"Anyone up for pizza on the way home?" Seth eagerly grinned and nodded his head. Dean smiled in amusement before agreeing as well. His dad was even considerate enough to buy Dean his own pizza while he and Seth shared. Dean looked like he just won the lottery. He ate a few slices and decided to save the rest for his mom and tomorrow. All the while, he couldn't make eye contact with Seth. Why was everyone being so nice? It should've felt good, but it sickened him. They only acted this way for so long until they got tired of being nice and showed their true colors. As much as the brunette wished he could get rid of his trust issues, it wasn't happening. He wouldn't let another person in only to have them destroy him and leave him high and dry in the end. When they finally got home, Dean stepped out of the car, quietly thanked Shane, and trudged across the street and into his house. He hadn't said one word to Seth since the end of the school day. Seth sighed and headed inside behind his dad. What had he done wrong now? This wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.


	4. Ch 3: I Guess We're Friends

Chapter Three: I Guess We're Friends

A/N: Includes some Shield bonding time, Ambrollins friendship fluff-ishness, and dinner at the Lopez household.

The final bell rang on Friday, signaling the start of the weekend. Sports tryouts started in two weeks as did class reshuffling. Seth and Dean walked out after everyone else, walking home together. Dean stared at him. "Why are you following me?"

"My dad works late on Fridays, so he can't pick me up. I have to walk home without getting lost…" His voice was full of uncertainty and he looked like a lost puppy who'd run away from home. Dean smirked at him. ' _Colby's nervous expression is kinda cute._ ' Wait, what?

"Don't tell me you don't know how to get back to your place from here?" Dean asked, ignoring the strange thought his head had just conjured. The younger boy looked away in shame. Dean shook his head. "It's a right, a left, and the second right, alright? Couple minutes walk. Easy." Seth just kept walking beside him. By the time they'd gotten back to their street, Roman was waiting for them in front of Seth's house. "Joe? What're you doing here?" The Samoan stood there, leaning against the wooden picket fence surrounding Seth's yard.

"Don't really have anything to do this weekend. You guys just wanna hang out?" Seth and Dean looked at him bewildered. They were still trying to get used to the whole friend thing. Seth looked more than happy to and said yes. Dean looked away with his head down. The two toned teen put a hand on his shoulder and asked him if he was alright.

"I'd love to, but I've gotta work, ya know what I'm sayin'?" Seth stared at him in shock. Roman looked happily surprised. Having a job was a responsibility he didn't want to deal with yet. The fact that Dean had one… "Gotta put food on the table and pay the bills."

"Don't your parents have jobs?" asked Roman. Seth and Dean flinched. The brunette had a dark look on his face while Seth paled. Roman didn't know about that.

" 'S not enough to keep us alive and under a roof." he replied coldly. Seth knew not to press the issue, but Roman didn't know when to quit. Seth learned the hard way that Dean hated talking about his personal life. He'd snap at you and change the subject or become a closed off mess. ' _Please don't ask him, Joe.'_

"Where do you work?" For God's- Grr.

"Auto shop downtown. 'M a mechanic."

"Downtown? How do you get there?" Seth cringed on the inside. No more questions, no more.

Dean sneered, "What do you think? I drive there." Wait a minute. The fact that he knew how to drive was bad enough. The fact that he did drive… It was illegal, but he knew not to voice that. Roman was about to say just that, but Seth interrupted him before he could get a word out.

"That's fine. We could always just hang out today, right?" He sent a scowl Roman's way, who just kept up that expressionless mask, an eyebrow raised. "How about a game of football?" Roman perked up at that.

"Who's your team?" Roman asked. Seth smiled and stated matter of factly, "The Bears." They had the same favorite team. Yes. They looked to Dean. He shook his head.

"Don't watch it. Not much of an NFL guy. Who's got the ball?" Roman held one up. For the next few hours, they passed it, tackled each other, scored, untIl it was down to Seth and Roman. Dean tossed the ball to Seth, but, before he could catch it, it was intercepted by Roman. The oldest of the three ran it to the other end of the yard and threw it down. "TOUCHDOWN! Your winner, Mr. Wrestling Royalty over there!" He strolled over and raised his hand in victory. Seth clapped him on the back.

"Nice, man. I've got you next time though," Seth warned, grinning and sucking in huge breaths of air. Roman nodded to him. Seth suddenly had an idea.

"Anyone up for a good ol' fashioned wrestling match?" Roman looked at him exasperated while Dean just gave him that trademark grin. It was bad enough his dad and uncle tried to teach him how to wrestle on a daily basis.

"I'm game. Joe, you're the ref." Seth took off his shirt, revealing the beginning of his abs. Dean did the same, a slightly more defined physique showing. Roman shook his head. This probably wouldn't end well.

"I didn't agree to anything." The two ignored him and were in a collar and elbow tie up. He groaned. He could walk home… but then these two would end up doing something stupid most likely. Dean put Seth in a standing side headlock before performing a snapmare and locking him into a headlock again. Seth struggled for a few seconds before countering the move into an armbar. Dean groaned in pain as Seth locked it in tighter. Is that what would contribute a bit to his bad shoulder in the future? Dean eventually escaped and the two stood and faced each other. Dean ran at Seth, who grounded him with an arm drag. Dean stood up and observed Seth. He had excellent technique and had a speed advantage over him. Hmm… He ran at Seth again, ducking a clothesline and countering with a neckbreaker. Dean went for the pin. Roman groaned, but counted anyway. "One!" Kick out. He rose and continued watching.

"C'mon, pretty boy. That the best you got?" Seth frowned and marched over to him. They stared each other down before Dean took a step back and aimed a kick at his midsection. Seth caught it and hit Dean with a dragon whip. While he was stunned, the two toned teen locked him in an Indian Deathlock. Dean screamed and struggled. There were no ropes out here, so he had to counter. Using his strength to his advantage, he tried to turn them over. Seth's eyes went wide.

"No no no no no!" He screamed as well as the pressure was reversed.

"Do you quit, Colby?" Seth shook his head, eyes squeezed closed in pain.

"Aaaaaaah! Dammit, Jon!" Somehow, he managed to free himself, clutching his legs. Dean stared at him confidently, clearly saying he had the match in the bag. He did, until Seth rolled him up. He thought it was for a pin, but he managed to roll upright. Right into a superkick. All three of them grimaced at the sound that the kick made when it connected. Seth went for the cover.

"One! Two!" Dean got his shoulder up off the ground. He could've sworn he was seeing stars for a few seconds. They went back and forth for a few more minutes, using basic holds and some of their own improvised moves, before both of them ended up flat on their backs. Roman was at a count of six before Dean stumbled to his feet. Seth was pushing himself up off his stomach onto his knees. When he got there, Dean ran at him and thrust his knee at Seth's head. The two toned teen crumpled unceremoniously onto his back. He fell on Seth for the cover. "One! Two! Three!" Dean immediately checked on Seth.

"Blondie. Pretty boy!" He slapped the younger boy's face a little, shook him, until his beautiful brown eyes fluttered open (Beautiful? What the fuck?). His pupils were blown up, excitement coursing through his veins. His body was practically vibrating with energy. Dean was the same way, feeling like he was on cloud nine, worry over his (friend?) acquaintance dulling it down some however. He smiled, genuine and relieved, and helped him up. "Your head okay?" Seth winced.

"I'll have a bump on it for a few days thanks to you, but yeah. How's the arm?" Dean stretched a bit and hissed in pain.

"It'll be sore, I can tell you that much." Roman looked between the two of them, a little jealous. Joe didn't have any friends he was that close to. Sure the two had only known each other for about a week, but they looked like old buddies who'd known each other for years. Seth went in to get them some waters and checked the time. 6 'o clock.

"Shit!" He still had to cook dinner. "Hey, I've gotta cook dinner before my dad gets back." Dean's smile disappeared while Roman looked completely understanding. Seth saw Dean's face and felt sympathy for the loner. "You're welcome to stay and eat too." He was addressing both of them.

"Nah. My mom'll kill me if I miss a meal at home. Thanks for the offer though. See you guys later?" Roman kindly declined.

"Sure thing." The two watched him disappear into his house a few doors down. Seth turned back to Dean. "I was serious when I said that. You and your mom are more than welcome to join us for dinner. There's plenty of food." Dean scratched the back of his neck and averted his gaze.

"I- Are you sure?" Seth nodded. Dean didn't know what to say. Again. Food is food though, so he wouldn't turn it down, if Seth was sure.

"Yeah. Head back over around… eight, I guess, since dad isn't back yet." Seth gave him one last warm smile before heading back into his kitchen and closing the front door. Dean stared at Seth through the open kitchen window. He'd done nothing but be a bipolar asshole all week, yet Seth continued being nice to him. He couldn't figure out if it was a genuine act or not. He walked back into his house, planning on enjoying the five minutes of hot water his shower offered and picking out something somewhat decent looking to wear. He didn't know much about the whole becoming friends thing, being polite, etc. All he knew was that Seth's hair tied back in a ponytail while mixing things in a bowl shouldn't have made him smile as much as it did.

XxX

Seth grabbed a ponytail holder off his counter and tied his hair back. He then went through the cupboards and cabinets, pulling out bowls, plates, and silverware. He got various things out of his fridge and began getting everything ready. He didn't really think about cooking while he was preparing the pasta he planned on devouring later. Nor when he was putting seasoning on the breadsticks. Especially not when he was making dessert (brownies with white chocolate chips and peanut butter filling). His mind was on Dean and Roman. Mostly Dean. As he poured cocoa into the bowl, he remembered a conversation, if it could be called that, at lunch one day at school. He had been going on about his older brother, how he wished he still lived with him and how alike they were. Of course, he had his moments. Brand was something else sometimes. He asked Dean if he had any siblings. And instantly regretted it.

"I wish, ya know?" he'd said in a depressed voice. "My mom's all I got. I doubt they'd be alive right now if I did have a sister or brother, ya know what I'm sayin'? I basically starve on a daily basis. Imagine another kid living with me. Don't think they'd make it…" He'd been quiet and closed off for the rest of the day then. Dean had scarfed down all the food on his tray everyday, as if he didn't eat at home. The truth is, he really didn't. He and his mother barely made enough money to keep a roof over their head, much less pay for food. And the fearful look in his eyes when Seth had mentioned cooking dinner. He couldn't just let Dean go hungry when he could cook plenty to feed everyone.

Seth stirred the huge pot of spaghetti on the stove a bit before turning it off. He took the breadsticks out of the oven, brushing a layer of butter, garlic, salt, and pepper on them, followed by the delicious smelling brownies. He set the trays on the kitchen table, along with some plates, silverware, napkins, and cups, before heading upstairs to shower. He relaxed under the warm spray, feeling his muscles he'd stretched earlier loosen up a bit. He scrubbed off all the mud and sweat he'd accumulated outside and got partially dressed, barefoot and shirtless with a towel around his neck. His black and blonde locks shined, slowly dripping water down his shoulders. Seth grabbed a random shirt from his drawers and headed back down into the kitchen. He heard his dad's car pull into the driveway and stopped at the foot of the stairs. He strolled over and hugged his dad, taking his briefcase up to his dad's makeshift office. He returned to the sound of the doorbell ringing followed by a few timid knocks. Shane turned to him confused.

"I hope you don't mind. I, uh… might have invited Jon and his mom over for dinner. Heheh…" Seth walked over to the front door, hand on the knob. Shane just smiled at his son and ruffled his wet hair.

"Well, things are moving along fast with you two," he said gladly, giving Seth a knowing smile. His son blushed.

"Daaaaad! We're not dating. I'm pretty sure he's straight anyway. We're just…" Words seemed to fail him then. What were they exactly? His dad raised his eyebrows.

"Just what? You're at least friends, right?" Seth opened the door and invited Dean and his mom in. He didn't answer the question. To be honest, he didn't really know. They glanced around at the kitchen in wonder before letting their eyes settle on the food on the table. The mouthwatering smell had Dean closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. Everything looked so tasty! "Grab a seat and help yourselves," Shane told them. "You can eat as much as you want." He took his usual seat at the end of the table. Seth took the seat diagonal to him, Dean next to him, and Angie across from them both.

"Thank you for this," she said to them quietly. Shane and Seth nodded. Dinner was quiet for the first few minutes until Shane and Angie started talking about work in between mouthfuls. He was a lawyer while she was a bartender of three different bars during the weekdays. They looked up from their plates to the sound of loud slurping. Dean's plate, which was piled high with breadsticks and pasta not thirty seconds ago, was empty save for the tomato sauce still there. He piled his plate high once more and repeated the process. Halfway done, he looked up to see everyone staring at him. He froze, sucked in a piece of spaghetti hanging between his lips, and glanced at each of them. Set's dad looked sympathetic, Seth looked happy, and his mom looked bewildered. How much food could her son eat?

"Should, I, uh… stop?" Dean didn't exactly do manners. He really didn't know any outside of "say please and thank you", "don't chew with your mouth open", and "no elbows on the table". Slurping bad. Duly noted. Everyone just smiled and kept talking and eating. By the time he'd finished his second plate, Dean had grabbed a few of Seth's brownies. By then, their parents had moved to the living room to talk about who knows what. As soon as the brunette bit into one, he instantly moaned at the texture and taste of the chocolate piece of Heaven. Seth laughed softly, trying really hard not to blush. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever tasted, except for maybe that pie." He took another bite and moaned louder this time. Seth's face turned the shade of a cherry and sitting had become much more uncomfortable than he would've liked. He knew his cooking was good, but was it **that** good?

"I could give you the recipe if you want. You can have some of the stuff from our pantry to make 'em." Dean's eyes lit up and he eagerly nodded. Shane and Angie beamed, watching their kids interact.

"They've warmed up to each other pretty fast," Angie stated.

"Yeah, I didn't think they would. They don't find it easy to make friends. Colby, he's… not your average teenage boy. He's brilliant, a total nerd *Angie giggles*, a huge wrestling fan, can actually hack a computer-" At this point, she'd busted out laughing. Shane gave a sheepish grin. "It's true! He hacked into my work laptop because our computer needed fixing. He can pick locks, seems to find out everything, he's basically a mini-"

"Ninja?" she answered. He nodded to her. They both glanced into the kitchen when they heard Seth yelp. Dean had jabbed him with a fork (years later in CZW…), saying that, as the guest, he would do the dishes. Seth protested, saying that it was his house, his dishes, his job. They were playing tug of war with a wooden spoon before Dean grabbed a dull fork and jabbed Seth, who jumped backward with a yelp. Dean smirked and continued scrubbing plates. "Hahaha! Jon isn't really a friend person either. He's got a beautiful voice, if he would just take a class or something. He's into cars, motorcycles, how things work. Our Camaro is like his baby, I swear. And wrestling. Jesus, he's _obsessed_ with it. He says it's one of the only things in the world that makes him truly happy. All the times he's quoted wrestlers on their catchphrases…"

"All the times Colby has tried to do Sweet Chin Music…"

"All the times Jon has tried to put me in a sharpshooter…" They looked on, Dean finishing washing the dishes and Seth drying them. When they finished, Shane spoke up.

"Boys! *they look at him* Why don't you two hang out up in Colby's room for a little while?" They look at each other and smile. Seth raced Dean up the stairs and jumps onto his bed, landing on his back and laughing. Dean jumped as well, landing on top of him. They were face to face, bodies touching, and a bit too close for comfort, yet neither of them could move. Seth saw Dean's genuine smile and melted. Had he always had adorable dimples? Dean leaned down and they touched foreheads, eyes closed and demeanor at peace. The moment was weirdly intimate almost. The brunette apologized and got up and off the bed after a minute or two. Seth slowly sat up, missing the contact a little.

"So, this is my room. Video games, comics, wrestling merchandise, my computer, tv. Nothin' special really. I might have a Taker shirt if you want it." Dean shook his head while examining a few action figures.

"Taker isn't my guy."

"But you said-"

"That he's my favorite. To watch. He's not the guy I look up to. At least, not my top guy, ya know what I'm sayin'?" Seth looked curious, so he continued. "I've always idolized Bret Hart. The dude is a legend. Actually, I think he's retiring this year. He's not the biggest guy, he's not the strongest or the fastest, but he proves that he's one of the greatest in the business. He can think his way out of anything, has so many different holds and moves. I actually still have the pair of glasses he gave me, back when I still lived on the other side of town, from a house show. Best day of my life…" Seth contemplated his words.

"The dude I look up to has a never say die attitude. He's been champ, had an amazing career so far, hates to follow rules like a certain someone I know… *looks at Dean* He's injured at the moment, but I look forward to the day he comes back. My guy's Shawn Michaels." Dean chuckled at him. "What?"

"… Do you fantasize about the Sexy Boy everyday?" Seth blushed.

"I can't help my sexuality, man. Besides, it's not my fault his entrance theme doesn't lie…" Dean smiled softly at him.

"There's nothin' wrong with liking guys, Colby," he said honestly. Seth felt shocked that Dean was actually using his name. In a playful tone, he stated, "And just so you know, I think Joe's taken." Seth playfully shoved him and turned on his tv.

"Shut up. How about some video games then? I've got a Smackdown vs Raw game, some racing game-"

"Can you upgrade the cars?" Seth nodded and put it into his PlayStation. He easily beat Dean in their first race… then proceeded to be utterly dominated the rest of the game. Seth would be four or five places ahead and Dean would fly out of nowhere and take the lead. Being the gamer he was, it frustrated him to no end. Soon enough, he'd finally won a race, just barely. "That is… 11-2. I thought you said you were good at this?"

"Is that a challenge?" Seth answered back. They stared into each other's eyes before agreeing on best two out of three. During the last race, their parents came up. Dean's mom told him it was time to go.

"Just *drifts around a corner* one *bumps into Seth's car* last *uses car's boost* level *earns bonus points*." He crossed the finish line just before Seth, who threw his controller down and tackled Dean with a smile on his face. Dean cheered and laughed, saying Seth would get him next time. They got up and said goodbye to each other, before Seth piped up.

"We can do this again next week, right?" Shane and Angie looked at each other with that happy, "Oh boy" look. Dean replied with excitement.

"Definitely." Seth watched them leave and closed the front door. He plopped down in a chair.

"So if you're not dating," Shane started. Seth groaned. "What are you two?"

"… I guess we're friends," Seth replied, letting it sink in. The impossible task he'd accepted last week was complete. Who'd have thought? He doubted anyone else he knew would be thrilled. It didn't matter though. Forget how horrified the rest of the school would be. It sounded just right to him. Friends…


	5. Ch 4: The Weekends

Chapter Four: The Weekends

A/N: The chapter is self explanatory and any info on each wrestler's family members is probably inaccurate and wrong because it comes from unreliable sources. If it is, I'm sorry. So, yeah. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Disclaim: This poor, sad, pathetic excuse of an author owns nothing recognizable in this story because WWE and its employees do. I just own my nonprofit story and ideas.

Saturdays. What was there to say about the start to the weekend? Dean both loved and hated Saturdays. Loved because he could disappear into his work on cars and strategy to steal food up at the auto shop he was employed at. No school, criticizing teachers, death glares and disgusted looks from students. Hated because around every corner, on every street, from every coworker, insults and gossip were said to his face and behind his back. His dad was somewhat notorious around town apparently. All they ever thought was that he'd end up as some no good street thug like his father before him. When he became rich and famous and they were stuck in this dump of a town earning minimum wage, he'd be able to rub in their faces what a "street dog" like him could be. That was in a few hours though. When he was awake.

Dean had a habit of sleeping on the edge of the bed. His head would be about to fall off his pillow and one arm and leg dangled off to the side. His body's natural way of saying wake up was to roll over and out of bed. Literally. If you ever hear a telltale thump! and drowsy groan you know that Dean is awake. He considered just going back to sleep on the carpet, but thought otherwise. He slowly rose and grabbed a pair of ripped jeans and a wifebeater along with a pair of dark socks and tennis shoes that looked about ready to fall apart at the soles. He took an icy shower, which woke him up fully, got dried off and dressed, and headed downstairs. He opened their usually empty fridge to find a huge pot of spaghetti, a roll of bread sticks, and a tray of brownies next to a few bottles of water and cans of soda. There was a note on the brownies. _Thought you might like some for breakfast. Help yourself. Below it was the list of ingredients and instructions. See you Monday! ~Pretty Boy :)_

Dean grinned, getting out a bowl and filling it with pasta. Seth snuck into his house in the middle of the night to make sure they wouldn't starve. He picked a lock, dragged a huge pot, wrapped up food, and tray in without a sound, put the food up, and left without anyone noticing. Mad ninja skills. He heated up an extra bowl for his mom for when she woke up and wolfed down his whole bowl plus a breadstick and brownie. Dean grabbed a dark hoodie off the back of a nearby chair and ran quietly upstairs. He slowly cracked open the door to his mom's room. He looked at her smiling peacefully in her sleep, reddish-brown hair fanned out around her face. Dean leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. She made a content noise and took his hand.

"Have a good day at work, honey…" she whispered sleepily. Dean smiled a bit and planted a kiss on her other cheek.

"I will. Go back to sleep, mama," he murmured gently. She nodded slightly and turned around under the covers. Dean headed back downstairs, snatching his keys off the ring by the door and shutting it behind him. He climbed into his beloved Camaro and started her engine. She roared to life, engine purring smoothly. Dean closed his eyes and let another grin wash over his face as he gripped the steering wheel thigh in the early morning sunrise. He put her in gear and drove off, hoping not to catch the early morning traffic on his way downtown. Luckily, thanks to a few detours and backroads, the brunette arrived at the shop early. He clocked in early and worked on a car that had checked in late last night. Apparently, it kept being brought back in because the problems with it were never fixed. They were like beginner's issues. He was fifteen for God's sake, and doing his job better than the thirty and forty year olds who made up the majority of the employees! By the time he was actually supposed to be there rolled around, his coworkers who'd been around for a few years showed up late. And they complained about him…

"That mangy kid ain't here yet?" he heard one of them say. "Honestly, he's no good, just like that piss poor excuse of a dad of his."

"He's prob'ly at home sleep. Maybe he's hidin' behind his momma 'cause it's the first day of work during the school year," commented another person.

"He thinks he's better than us. We've been here for years and he's been here, what, a few months?" He stuffs the rest of whatever breakfast sandwich he walked in with into his mouth. The man and the few others who walked in with him were stunned when they hear an engine start out of nowhere. They looked to the blue Ford Thunderbird that had been giving them so many issues and saw Dean emerge from behind it, covered in oil and sweat. He wiped his brow, stood up, and flashed his trademark smirk at them.

"I know I'm better at this job than you assholes because I'm the only reason you're still in business. Customers come to me when they have problems. The managers recommend me to other companies. That raise for the best employee is gonna go home with me today. I don't think anything. I **know**. Ya know what else I know? I know I have the best car-"

"You don't have shit! You're just like your old man: stuck up, arrogant, and a waste of space. You're not gettin' anything and you sure as Hell aren't-" Before he could finish that sentence, Sarah, one of the managers closer friends, called Dean into her office. He walked in and closed the door behind him. He did get the raise. Huh, wasn't expecting that. The higher ups had also found him a job at a bigger auto shop on the other side of town. Cool. Dean replied that he'd take the raise, but would stay right there and continue working for them. She gave him a nod and he was back in the garage, eyeing his baby and itching to try out a few installations of new parts he'd made the other day. His co workers continued to be amazed at the shape his Camaro was in and how good she ran. Their wide eyes said it all every day. Dean chuckled to himself. Today would go just fine.

XxX

Seth absolutely loved Saturdays. They were his favorite days of the week. No school bullies tormenting him (no school period), no alarm clocks, bedtimes, or waking up early. Saturdays were his day to relax and do nothing. During the week, he'd have schoolwork to finish, tv shows to watch, a run to go on, a gym to be in to stay in shape, fanfiction to read, wrestling, football to watch. His weekdays were usually busy as heck. Today, he was going to be as lazy as possible. He raided the kitchen for as much soda, water, snacks and sandwiches could fit in his mini fridge and food drawer that he could. Briefly, he told his dad that he was taking a day. Shane nodded to his son and took a seat on the loveseat in their living room, turning on the tv. The teen headed back into his room and locked his door.

He'd spend a few hours playing video games, watching classic movies, reading comics and (a newly discovered addiction) fanfiction. After watching Sarah Connor escape from the Terminator, Seth pulled out his weight set from under his bed. He started bench pressing, power cleaning, doing lunges, Russian twists, box step ups on the edge of his bed, ab/core workouts, etc. He could've gone to a gym. Sure, because a fifteen year old stick figure with bicolored hair and a passion for everything that screams nerd wouldn't be scrutinized and judged by every pair of eyes there. Seth preferred the solitude of his bedroom. He's glad he grabbed all those water bottles earlier now. Seth took a swig from one of them before dropping down onto his stomach and starting to do pushups. "Sixty three, sixty four *huff*, sixty five, sixty six *huff*, sixty seven, sixty eight *huff*, sixty nine-"

"With who?" came the voice of his dad, who was standing at his door. Seth yelped in surprise, falling onto his back somehow. Shane snickered, holding a bowl of ice cream. "I'm sorry. I had to."

"And you complain about **my** dirty jokes. Now you know where I get it from." He scrambled up with an annoyed smile on his face before his eyes fell on the ice cream in his dad's hands.

"Rootbeer float?" He held out the bowl to his son, who almost snatched it out of his hands before apologizing and digging in. "Do you plan on rejoining the world of the living anytime soon? I know you love it up here, but…" Seth observed his dad while swallowing a spoonful of cookies and cream (don't judge him) ice cream.

"Yeah, sure. So, you wanna play football *pushes weights back under bed*, or drive around town *wipes back of neck with a towel*, or…?"

"Watch a wrestling match with my son?" Seth perked up at that.

"Wrestling? What are you…?" He glanced at his clock and checked the time. Nine 'o clock. Well then. The day had certainly gone by fast. "Definitely. First though, shower." After a quick icy shower, he grabbed a few sodas and followed his dad downstairs. At the moment, the Hardy Boyz were facing off against the New Age Outlaws on a rerun of yesterday's Friday Night Smackdown! he'd missed. Matt Hardy was slugging it out with Billy Gunn, Road Dogg calling out to his partner for a tag. Jeff was bouncing on the apron, cheering his older brother. "C'mon Matt, c'mon Matt!" Seth cheered. Shane laughed, yelling at Billy Gunn to make the tag. After the end of the match, which went to the Hardys, Seth got up and fixed some quick snacks (popcorn, some chocolate, chips, etc.) in a few bowls and brought them back into the living room. The rest of the night was spent with father and son rooting for opposing teams, getting more and more excited the longer the show went on. The night ended when both of them were practically asleep on the couch together. Shane was upright while Seth had his head on his dad's shoulder, snoring softly. Yep. That's a typical Saturday in Seth's book.

XxX

Busy. That's the only word that describes Roman's Saturdays. He spent most of the day with his family and friends, hardly in the house if he could help it. At the moment, he was at Galina's house. Her two older sisters, Molina and Undine, were visiting. They always teased her about falling for a jock. That is, until they met Roman themselves. The stereotype about jocks is that they're dumb, tough guys, have to look cool in front of other people, don't understand feeling, only care about sports, etc. etc. Roman was none of these things. Galina was, against Roman's wishes, braiding his wavy black hair, listening to her sisters talking about college and life after high school.

"Honestly, it's really fun. You get way more free time, your parents aren't around, there are parties, classes are only for a few hours and not all day. It's paradise in the form of a school."

"Unless you don't know what to do with your free time and become bored out of your mind…" One of her sisters was always into a sport. One year it was volleyball, another was track, then basketball. One sister would play a sport for a year, and then the other would play one next year. Molina would be claiming to be dying of boredom next year. Galina shook her head and wrapped a rubber band around the end of another braid. She held a mirror in front of Roman and he refused to look into it.

Until a camera flash made him turn towards the window.

Did he mention he had an annoying little brother in sixth grade? They looked nothing alike and, if you did a side by side comparison, you wouldn't believe they were related. Rosey stood at Galina's window, a camera in hand, snapping photos of his brothers ludicrous hairstyle, probably for blackmail. Roman jumped up and rushed at the door, Galina following him. The younger brother's eyes went wide and he scrambled away, running back down the street when Roman saw him. He had a head start as he was chased back to the house. Roman was hot on his heels, pouring on the speed. Unfortunately, he still wasn't fast enough, running headfirst into the front door and stumbling back. Rosey laughed at his brother's failed attempt at apprehending him and ran upstairs.

Later, when Roman scaled the side of his house, climbed in through his brother's beside window and erased the whole camera, he found himself sandwiched between his two favorite cousins, Jimmy and Jey Uso. Why was it a good idea to wrestle with them again? It's not like he paid attention when his dad and uncle tried to teach him. Which is probably why both of them had landed cross bodies on him with perfect accuracy and precision. Their father, Rikishi, laughed alongside Afa, Sika, and Galina as they watched this unfold. Roman gingerly got up. And delivered a spear to both cousins. Jimmy and Jey lay on their backs chuckling, sucking in huge breaths of air. His relatives' laughter grew louder until, eventually, Roman joined in as well. Just another Saturday with the Anoa'is.

XxX

Sundays. For Roman, they were just like Saturdays. Without all the family drama that is. He would hang out with his school friends instead, which consisted of other jocks into the same stuff as him. For Seth, it was all work and no play. Yesterday, he sat around, stared at a tv screen, and lifted weights. Today, he was outside, running, exercising, staying in shape. He was practicing different wrestling holds with Dean. The brunette had told him and Roman he'd be at work. According to Dean, being employee of the month three times in a row gives you a few days off. Dean had Seth in a crossface on the ground, struggling to hold him down as Seth tried desperately to free himself. When he finally escaped, he hopped up and nailed Dean with an enzuigiri. When Dean hit the grass, he locked in a cross face of his own. Dean struggled for a few seconds before freeing himself and helping Seth up.

"Alright! With technique like that, you'll make the wrestling team easy. I don't know what you were worried about." When Dean told Seth he should try out for the school's wrestling team in a few weeks, Seth panicked. He'd never gotten down on a mat and locked up with another guy. He knew some of what he watched on tv and some of what he'd seen from a house show back in Iowa a few years ago. Needless to say, he thought it'd take him forever to learn moves right. If forever meant a few hours that is.

"You really think so?" the two toned teen asked. Dean nodded, putting an arm around his shoulders with a grin etched on his face. There were those dimples again. Seth stared at them a little too long before looking away, a similar grin on his face now also. "I mean, I'm not **that** good. Not as good as you…"

Dean scoffed. "Not that good? Dude, you're a natural! And obviously you're not as good as me. No one really is." Seth shot him an amused look before pulling away slowly. "So, you ready for tomorrow. Ya know, school, books, classes that I don't pay attention in?" They began walking down the street, turning right into the shops circle, passing gas stations, grocery stores, and "nerd central", as his dad referred to the comic and games store.

"I guess."

"Are you ready for those tests?" Seth froze. Tests? They'd been in school for all of four days and there were tests?

"Tests?! What tests?! We haven't learned a thing!"

"That's exactly the point. They'll give you, like, a review of last year's stuff. Then, it's test for rules and stupid shit like that. Plus pop quizzes at the end of each class every day. It's a pain, let me tell ya." Seth groaned and continued walking.

"Then no, I'm not ready for tomorrow. I'm ready for it to be the weekend again." Dean snickered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, pretty boy. A nerd like you will be just fine. At least you care enough to try, unlike just about everyone else…"

"C'mon, Jon. Are you telling me you actually **try** in class? You? Mr. Feet Up On the Desk? Mr. Fuck You and Your Cats Too? Mr. Wrestling Is All That Matters In Life? Pfft. Yeah right." That stung Dean. Was it because he was so laid back and uncaring that people didn't think he was smart. Probably, but still. He thought Seth wouldn't judge him.

"Callin' me stupid, pretty boy?" he asked accusingly, not letting the hurt reflect in his voice. Seth shook his head.

"No, I'm calling you lazy. I said you don't care, not that you were stupid. Don't put words in my mouth." They kept walking, eventually running into Roman.

"Hey guys. *turns to Dean* Thought you had to work?"

"It's my day off."

"Well, I was just about to head to the arcade to meet up with my cousins. You comin'?" Seth's eyes lit up like fireworks. Dean rolled his eyes, trying not to smile. Nerd alert.

Seth replied, "Yes. Definitely." Roman looked a bit embarrassed and turned to Dean. The brunette raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, thing is, I'm kinda lost. I've been wanderin' around for the last twenty minutes." Dean shook his head at him. Seth gave him a sympathetic smile. That made two of them not knowing where they were going.

" *sigh* Follow me, alright?" Dean turned them around and headed back the way he and Seth had come. Instead of turning left back towards the neighborhood, he turned right towards the outer part of the shops circle. They passed a small casino, an ominous looking bar, a barber shop, and a small sweets shop before coming across the arcade. They headed inside and followed Roman over to a pair of twins who were beckoning them over.

"Hey, Uce! These are the guys I told you about. Jon, Colby, these are my cousin, Jonathan and Joshua, but we call 'em Jimmy and Jey." The twins were not fraternal by any means, except by their personalities. Jimmy was hyper, energetic, a bit brash. Jey was more serious, laid back, but just as upbeat as his brother. Dean got along with them instantly. Roman dominated in air hockey. Dean crushed everyone in ski ball. Seth? He beat everyone in everything. High scores were demolished, tickets were racked up, and spirits were broken. They ended up leaving with pockets full of candy, Nerf guns, and a bike.

XxX

Roman had left with his cousins, leaving Dean and Seth to walk home together. It was mid afternoon, maybe four-ish o'clock, and Seth still had things to do. When Dean asked what they were, he got the answer of exercise, exercise, and more exercise. "On a Sunday? Why are you trying to run yourself into an early grave?" Dean asked while trying to keep up with the half blonde. Seth answered in between even breathing. Was that even possible?

"Cardio, man. Keeps you fit, improves your endurance. In wrestling, you've gotta be able to outlast your opponent, right? How're you gonna do that if you can't run a few miles and train without passin' out on me?" Seth had convinced him to go on a run with him. The first four miles were bearable. At five, his thighs screamed. At six, his head began spinning and breathing felt as easy as sleeping for the brunette. Finally, they finished the seventh mile in front of Seth's house, where Dean promptly collapsed in a heap and squeezed his eyes shut. "Shit!" Seth exclaimed, kneeling down beside his fallen friend. "Jon! Shit, I'm sorry! You alright?" Dean waved off is concern, wishing he wasn't seeing two of everything and that sounds would stop being muffled. It felt like someone had stuffed a huge cotton ball in his head and now everything was fuzzy.

" *wheeze* I… j-just *pant pant* need a… a minute. *gasps for air* M-Maybe an hour. *pant pant* Prob'ly a… a year." Seth sighed in relief, rushing into his house for a towel and some ice water. He returned to find Dean sitting up, hands pressing down on the top of his head and breathing almost even again. He unscrewed the cap and handed the bottle to Dean, who gulped down the whole bottle without pause. He crushed the bottle and laid back down. "I will **murder** you the next time we wrestle," he growled, though there wasn't any real anger in his voice. Seth laughed nervously, helping Dean up.

"Unless I murder you first. We'll go slower next time, I promise." Dean smirked a bit at that statement.

"What if I like it hard and fast?" Seth sputtered at that, blushing furiously, knowing exactly what he was getting at. Dean became serious again. "We could run less though. Cut it down by a few miles."

"Going easy won't help you get better."

"Going easy helps make sure I'll be able to walk tomorrow! *sigh* I'm gonna go take a shower." He heads towards his house before Seth stops him.

"We'll hang out more tomorrow, right?"

"As long as we're not running again, yeah. Can't get enough of me, can you, pretty boy?" Dean winked at him and walked slowly into his house, shutting the front door. Seth didn't know why, but the wink made his insides melt. ' _Not really_ ,' Seth answered in his head, and he didn't mind that one bit.

Closing A/N: Seven miles is the farthest I've run in cross country without almost passing out (I would be Dean and Seth would be my friend Brendley because it'd be nothing to her), Jonathan and Joshua are Jimmy and Jey's middle names, and I meant to post this chapter yesterday. Oops... Whelp, here you go. Any thoughts?


	6. Ch 5: Trust and a Sleepover (kinda)

Chapter Five: Trust and a Sleepover (kinda)

A/N: So, this is a chapter was supposed to be something completely different, but then I got sidetracked and really off topic. Another Ambrollins bonding-ish chapter. I will do a Roman heavy chapter sometime in the future since this fic is sorely lacking in them. Writer's block is also starting to kick in, so next chapter won't be up as soon as I want it to. Hope you're enjoying what you're reading so far, and here's the next chapter. Disclaim: WWE (AKA the McMahons) owns all shows, characters, storylines, etc. I'm just an obsessed fangirl author who writes fics about their top wrestlers.

 _"Mama?!" Dean yelled into his house._

 _"Kitchen!" she answered back. He walked inside to the kitchen and- Oh crap. Roy, his mom's boyfriend, sat next to her at the kitchen table. He was six foot, lean, blonde, and there was something about him that made it impossible to trust him. Dean's hands balled up into fists, but he willed himself to calm down. His mother's happiness was more important than his childish wants. He took a deep breath, which didn't really help, and un-balled his fists._

 _"Hey, Roy," he said casually. The man nodded to him, holding his mom's hand. "Mama, I, uh… I got a raise today at work." Angie jumps up and wraps her arms around him. " *laughs* It's not much more, but-"_

 _"It's enough. I'm so proud of you, baby," she said, ruffling his hair. Dean laughed softly and pulled away, cheeks tinged with embarrassment. Roy smiles warmly at him and shoots him a thumbs up. Dean wanted to trust him. Really, he did, but something inside him just screamed that Roy was up to no good. Those green eyes radiated trouble. His mom just couldn't see it. Just as he thought that, the bastard produces a knife from behind his back and, before he could move to stop him, stabs her in the back. Her face is a frozen mask of pain and disbelief. A tear slowly rolls down her cheek and she reaches out to him before collapsing. He falls to his knees and begs the blonde to deliver the killing blow. He merely laughs and walks out the front door, dropping the bloody weapon at Dean's feet._

XxX

Dean screams in his sleep and shoots upright in his rickety bed. His breathing is ragged and his head is on a swivel. His hand goes to the switchblade under his pillow as his door flies open. His mother stands before him with a .45 pistol in her hand, pointed forward. She lowers the gun and sets it down, rushing to her son and wrapping her arms around him. "Shh…" she coos. "What's wrong, honey?" Tears roll down her son's cheeks. "Nightmares?" He nods and pulls away. The clock reads 12:04 to his right.

"I'm fine." He rubs his eyes and lets his head fall back onto the pillow. He tries to even out his breathing and calm down his racing heart. His mom walks back to the door, picking up the gun and, casting one last reassuring glance over her shoulder at him, softly closes his bedroom door. He sighs and closes his eyes, mind racing. Whelp, looks like he won't be getting any sleep tonight, like usual. Thank whatever's out there that that scene hadn't played out that way Saturday night. Roy was there, but there was no stabbing, dying, crying, or begging for death. Another thing to add to the list of things wrong with him. Frequently dreams of death by mom's psychopath boyfriend. Good grief.

XxX

The week went by faster than Seth had anticipated. At the end of the day on Friday, his English teacher called him to her desk and handed him a paper with a smile. He looked it over. He'd missed one question out of everything, so he'd practically aced every test. She also called Dean up with a surprised but equally happy look on her face. The half blonde glanced at the paper and his jaw dropped. Zero marks. Not a single red x on any question. It's not that he didn't think Dean could do it. It was just that he thought that Dean wouldn't do it. "Jesus, Jon! You didn't miss anything!" Dean smirked and threw his arm around Seth's shoulders as they walked out of the classroom.

"Well, I went here last year, and it's honestly not that hard to remember a few stupid rules," the brunette replied. "And you thought I wouldn't pass. We, uh, still doin' dinner at your place?" Seth smiled at him.

"Of course we are. What, did you think I changed my mind? Just 'cause your mom's out of town does not mean you can't stay for dinner." Seth replied. Dean shook his head as they continued walking out of the school building and down the sidewalk. Rain lightly fell in a sort of mist around them. Seth pulled up his hood on his hoodie and Dean wrapped his jacket tighter around his shoulders.

"Just thought you'd be worn out after all the testing we did."

" 'Course not. I've always got enough energy to go at it." Dean smirks. Does Seth realise he has a bad case of verbal diarrhea sometimes? The things he thought of when Seth had uttered those words…

"Oh really?" Dean asked. "For how long? How many rounds can you go before you call it quits? Till it's too much for ya to handle?" Seth had a confused look on his face before his eyes went wide and he shoved Dean away. The brunette laughed at his reaction.

"Dude, gross! Seriously, are you making fun of me because of what I told you?" Dean stopped laughing immediately and told Seth to look at him.

"There is **nothing** wrong with your sexuality. You can like or love or fuck whoever you want to. It can be a chick, it can be a guy. I don't care. It was just a joke, man. I didn't mean it like that. I **never** mean it like that." Seth is startled by how determined Dean sounds to make his point clear. "And if anyone says something about it to you you better let me know so I can cave his face in."

"Relax, Jon. No one's gonna bother me." Dean doesn't seem convinced, but they continue walking down the block. Rain continued pouring down, faster now, and the two ran back to their houses. Seth ran to the safety of the awning of his front door, unlocking it with his keys. Dean ran to the safety of… nothing because, of course he'd locked his keys in his house this morning. *sigh* Great. His mom said she'd be out with Roy for the day too, meaning he'd probably have to sit out in the rain until who knows how long. He sat down on the edge of the steps to his front door with his head in his hands. Should've brought a hoodie to school.

"What's up?!" Seth shouted across the street. Dean got up, tried the door, punched it, and sat back down in the same position again. Seth gave him a confused look before strolling across the street, grabbing Dean's arm, and dragging the brunette back to his house.

"Dude, what the Hell are you doing?" Seth ignored him and dragged him into his house. "I'm fine. Seriously, what- Let go!" He wrenched his arm out of Seth's grasp as the half blonde shut the door behind them and locked it.

"Did you really think I'd just let you freeze to death in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone, on a Friday night of all things?" Dean opened his mouth to answer yes, but quickly stopped himself. "Friends don't leave friends out in the rain. Seriously, you can come here anytime you need someplace to stay." Dean frowned and looked away. He wanted to trust Seth, hadn't had any issues doing so lately, as a matter of fact. Part of him still screamed to get out before it was too late, before another person could worm their way past his defenses and destroy him from the inside out. However, part of him was grateful to Seth, wishing he could voice that and at least act like he cared.

"I would've been fine." Dean growled, plopping down on one of the kitchen chairs. Seth sighed sadly. They were making progress. Why did Dean hide behind his defenses when someone tried to be nice and show that they cared? "I've been through worse."

"Doesn't matter," Seth shot back instantly. "You're staying, whether you like it or not. Besides, I'm home alone today too." Dean gave him a confused look. "My dad… he's going to see my mom tonight, down at her new office on the other side of town. Won't be back till tomorrow night. I could use the company." Seth saw a mischievous gleam in Dean's eyes.

In a low voice, he said, "So, you're tellin' me… that we're alone? No one can bother us? Then, you demand that I stay because you want company? What kind of elaborate scheme is this, pretty boy? Want me all to yourself?" Seth pulled frustratedly at his hair while blushing madly. He hadn't thought about that until he'd brought it up, but still! He'd had just about enough of this.

"Can you not- Can't you be serious for more than two seconds? I'm offering you a place to stay for the night because, otherwise, you'd be sleeping outside, in the rain, with no food, no shelter, nothing. Can't you accept that people offer you help because they care?! Whenever someone tries to get close to you, you either become closed off and distanced, get angry, or become so annoying and immature that people refuse to deal with you. Honestly, I'm helping you because I care! And will you stop it with the gay jokes? You say you're not making fun of me, but you keep accusing me of trying to sleep with you! Whaddaya take me for?!" Seth was breathing heavily now, fists clenched at his sides… and up in Dean's face. When had he moved exactly? And where did that outburst come from? The two toned teen backed away and cast his eyes down with an ashamed look on his face. "I'm sorry for yelling, it's just…"

"No," Dean interrupted. Seth looked up again, seeing a defeated look in Dean's eyes. "I'll stop with the jokes, okay? I'll shut up. Forget I said anything, I'm sorry." Seth continued tugging on his hair.

"You have nothing to apologize for. It's just, I want you to know that you can trust me. I'm not the kind of person who uses people and gets rid of them when they're done. I won't hurt you or abandon you. I genuinely do give a damn about you because you're one of the best friends I've had. Actually, I think you and Joe are the only ones…" Dean stood up and stood face to face with Seth.

"I trust you. I do, really. I just… I need time… to get used to this kinda thing." Seth smiled weakly at him. Time. How much exactly? ' _As much as he needs,_ ' his brain answered for him. He would not ruin this friendship because he was an impatient bastard. Seth nodded, grabbing a two cups and drink packets from a cabinet. After heating up some water and mixing the drinks, he handed one to Dean. Dean sniffed his cup and moaned when he recognized the drink. Seth again blushed at the sound. "Hot cocoa. You are the man, pretty boy." He eagerly gulped down a scalding mouthful, getting foam on his upper lip. Seth was tempted to wipe it off with his finger, or lick it off… No! Where did that thought even come from?!

"So, do you want me to cook us something? I don't think we can order out in this storm-"

"We **could**."

"I don't think we **should** order out in this storm," Seth corrected himself. Dean nodded as he rummaged around the kitchen. He pulled out a huge pot, a cutting board, somewhat sharp knife, a stirring spoon, and different shakers for seasoning. He then started looking through Seth's fridge. He pulled out beans, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, green beans, some chicken, corn, peas, etc. He washed everything that needed to be washed and started chopping things up. "What are you doing?"

"Cooking us dinner," he replied, mincing some carrots. "Believe it or not, I know how to cook."

"Are you sure you won't burn down my kitchen?"

"I'm a screw up, I'll admit that. I know how to cook though, even if I never had much practice. Relax, Mr. I Cook Gourmet Meals on a Daily Basis. Nothing's gonna catch on fire." Dean tossed ingredients into the pot after filling it with a reasonable amount of water and heating it up somewhat. He left the potatoes out for now, "So they don't melt into mush before everything's done cooking," he'd said. Next, he added some seasoning: salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, basil, a hint of vinegar, a little hot sauce. "Soup is good with you, right?" Seth nodded.

"Yeah, whatever you want to eat. I won't complain. But while we're waiting…" Seth pulls out some sweet ingredients, a baking tray, some bowls, etc. Dean turns and sees Seth holding a bag of various chocolate chips. He's pretty sure he's gonna start drooling. "Up for making brownies?" Dean nodded eagerly, helping Seth out with the mixing and decorating. An hour or two of cooking, baking, getting raw food in their hair, and conversing later and the two had food ready. Dean grabbed two bowl and filled them to the brim with soup, setting one down in front of Seth. Seth stuck as many brownies as he could fit into a plastic container for later. They enjoyed their warm meal and once again argued over who should do the dishes. The argument was ended when Seth soaked Dean by splashing water all over him. Dean grumbled and stood back a bit to watch Seth. His hands moved smoothly and gently over the china, glass, and plastic. He wondered what it would feel like if Seth stroked his cheek with his soft hands. He also wondered where the Hell that thought came from and why he wanted to know what that felt like.

Seth placed the last plate on the dish rack and turned back to Dean. "Okay! Since you're staying here for the night, let's get some things straight. My dad's room is off limits, obviously. I'm taking the couch, you take my bed. Anything you need, just borrow some of my stuff. I've got some clothes that are too big for me you could borrow, soap and shampoo and stuff like that, don't touch my toothbrush, anything you need. Stay up as long as you want, eat whenever you need to, ya know, like midnight snacks. My place is your place, man." He spread his arms out and gestured all around him. Dean's face heated up. He hated accepting help.

"You don't have to-"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Jon. Seriously. Just go with it. I don't mind, really."

"You're not sleeping on the couch then."

"Yes, I am." Dean scowled at him.

"I won't let you. What's so wrong with sharing the bed?" ' _Seeing as how I'm into guys and I'll be in the same bed as one I actually like_ (as a friend) _, I see a few things wrong with that,_ ' Seth thought to himself.

"There's nothing wrong with that-"

"Good, we're sharing the bed then. Can't have you injure your back before the tryouts on Monday, can I? You mind if I shower first?" Seth shook his head.

"Nah. Go ahead. Biggest one's in my room, but there's one across the hall if you wanna use that one." Dean nodded and headed upstairs. Seth plopped down on the couch. Dean continued up the stairs, trying to get himself together. Why was trusting Seth so hard? He dismissed the thought and went into his room. He grabbed a towel and a pair of baggy sweatpants and an oversized Nike T-shirt for Seth. He decided to use the bathroom in Seth's room. He would not turn down the offer of an actual shower that gave him enough room to move around and would actually have warm water. He set the clothes and towel down by the sink and stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain a little. He turned on the water as hot as he could stand, quickly fogging up the mirror and window. He groaned in relief, not having felt a shower this great in… ever. For a few minutes, he simply stood under the burning spray of hot water, soaking up the heat.

"Oh God, this feels amazing," he whispered to himself. He looked at the shampoo bottles within reach and grabbed one. He gently scrubbed some into his unruly curls and scratched at his scalp. He washed it all out when he was satisfied. He grabbed one of Seth's washrags and a bar of soap, enjoying the luxuries while they lasted. He lathered his skin with the soap, scrubbing off as much dirt, grime, and sweat as he could. He swept his now silky smooth brown curls out of his eyes and let the spray rinse the soap off of him. Which left…

XxX

Seth sat on his couch, trying to sort out his feelings. Dean was… more considerate than he thought. This made Seth more uncomfortable than it should have. Sharing a house, shower, a bed, with someone he'd quickly grown close with made him feel uneasy. And Dean was a guy. No girl on Earth could make him **this** uncomfortable. He considered Dean a friend. However, part of him screamed a different word. _Boyfriend_. That's ridiculous. He did not have a crush on Dean. No. He pined after Roman. Why did he hang onto Dean's every word each time he spoke then? Why did he think those irresistible dimples were so adorable? Why did his eyes sparkle every time he looked into them? Why did a moan from Dean make him think some not so PG things? No. He would continue to deny these thoughts. Dean already had issues with trust. He didn't need the fact that one of his only friends may or may not feel something towards him to add.

"We're just friends. That's all," Seth said to himself. It didn't sound very convincing. As an excuse to go upstairs, Seth would claim that he was checking up on Dean. He quietly made his way upstairs. The lights were off across the hall, so Dean was using his shower. He went into his room, seeing the bathroom door slightly ajar, steam slowly making its presence felt, hearing the sound of running water. Curiosity made it really hard to just walk away. He wasn't someone who would… Fuck it. Seth silently made his way over to the bathroom door, a few steps away and out of anyone's line of sight inside. ' _You_ _can still turn back_ ,' his brain reasoned. The half blonde thought about it… Nah. He looked inside and became transfixed by the sight before him. Dean's skin was slightly pink because of how hot the water was beating down on him. His abs were on full display as well as some of his muscles. He scrubbed the last of some soap off his body before putting the rag down. He glanced down and his soapy hands slid between his legs. Seth's eyes refused to look away. He knew he should, but his body wouldn't respond to his thoughts.

Seth squirmed when he heard Dean let out a long, low groan. That should've been his first sign to move away. It's called taking a shower for a reason. You clean yourself up, get out, and move on. So why did it feel like- No. He would not let his mind go down that path. This was wrong, he screamed at himself. Talk about invading someone's privacy. He quickly scrambled away when he finally regained control of his limbs and ran out of the room, stopping at the bottom of the stairs to catch his breath. He sat down on the last step, leaning against the side of the stairs. What was wrong with him? He'd never be able to unsee that now, not that he wanted to exactly. Still, what was going on with him? The image of Dean with his eyes squeezed shut, head thrown back, hands… there, kept coming back to his head. The two toned teen got up and sat back down on the couch in his living room. He turned on the tv and tried to let whatever was on distract him. It worked for a little while, until he heard footsteps from behind. Dean, in a pair of sweatpants and a shirt that fit him just right, hopped over the couch and sat next to him. He pulled Seth's head onto his lap and carded his fingers through his two toned hair, smiling softly down at him. Seth smiled back, leaning into Dean's touch.

XxX

"Did I wake you up?" a muffled voice asked. Seth felt a smile on his face and fingers playing with his hair, lightly scratching his scalp, almost making him purr. He hummed contently. He opened his eyes to meet bright blue ones, staring at him intently. Seth shook his head and froze, only just now realizing that he was laying down. On Dean's lap. When quite clearly he'd been watching tv. Or had he been…? Wait, when had he fallen asleep? What was happening?

"No… *yawns* How long have you…?"

"About five or ten minutes," Dean answered. "You fell asleep at the kitchen table, so I brought you over here. You were eating a brownie. Actually," Dean leaned a bit closer to him. "you've still got chocolate on your face." Slowly and gently, he wiped it away, almost caressing his cheek, with his right index finger. Seth totally didn't lean into his touch. Who told you that? "There." Seth murmured a muffled and abashed, "Thanks." "It's nothin'," Dean replied, shrugging it off. It didn't help Seth's cause when he saw Dean lick the chocolate smeared finger. "I finished up a movie, and Smackdown was on, so I thought we could watch it if you ever woke up." Seth turned his head towards the tv. Triple H was doing a promo, interrupted by Mick Foley. Seth could imagine being in Triple H's place and having Dean interrupt him during a promo. They'd duke it out, spark a rivalry, start an all out war. It kept the slight smile on his face.

Dean glanced down at Seth every now and then. The way he looked so at peace on his lap made his heart flutter for a second. So did the intensity of his gaze when their eyes would briefly meet every now and then. This felt almost… normal. Like home. When it had been announced that the promo had turned into a match, Seth sided with Triple H while Dean sided with Mick Foley. If only they knew just what the future held for them, how they'd be compared to these very legends. Dean cheered as Triple H got hit with a double armed DDT. "No! Kick out, kick out, Hunter!" Seth yelled at the tv. One! Two! No! Triple H just gets the shoulders up in time. As the match goes on, the tables get turned, Mick Foley being planted by a spinebuster. Triple H flaunted to the crowd a bit before screaming at the HCL to get up. Mick staggers to his feet, getting kicked in the gut as Triple H sets him up for the Pedigree. Mick counters it into a Mandible Claw. The match continues after Triple H escapes, eventually ending with a Pedigree and a three count.

"Damn it! Why, Mick?!" Dean screamed, though there was excitement in his eyes and his lips quirked upward slightly. "I mean, it was a good match, but still!" The younger teen laughed softly at Dean's outburst.

"He's called the King of Kings for a reason." They hocker back and forth for a while before going back upstairs to Seth's room. They end up playing video games up until midnight, before Dean reminds Seth he has work in the morning. He nods, turning off the game system. They both brush their teeth and settle into the bed. It was awkward at first. Eventually, Seth relaxed, facing the door to his room and closing his eyes. Dean stared at the back of his head for the longest time before hugging the two toned teen from behind and turning his back to him. "G'night, pretty boy," he whispered, before sleeping soundly and deeply for the first time in years.

Closing A/N: This didn't turn out at all how I wanted. Oh well. I'll save what I wanted for next chapter, which I have no idea how to set up now. *sigh* Curse you, writer's block and constant migraines! Anyway, hope I'm not boring you to death and confusing you too much. When I run out of ideas, stuff tends to be written into a jumbled up mess. Hence the current chapter. Whelp, until the next update...


	7. Ch 6: Tryouts

Chapter Six: Tryouts

A/N: Okay, I lied. I don't know how I spun out a chapter with all these constant headaches, but I did. And it's early. Holy crap. This sort of sets up part of the story I'm really anxious to write. This picks up directly after the end of last chapter. I don't actually know how this works because my parents have refused to let me try out for my school's wrestling team for THREE YEARS STRAIGHT. Apparently, a little nerd girl like me is too fragile to wrestle. *bleep censors next few paragraphs of thoughts* Let's just pretend that this is how tryouts go. Read and enjoy!

Well, that could've gone better. That was the first thing Shane thought when he returned to his house at 3 in the morning. Maria, much to his dismay, had completely forgotten about meeting him, using the excuse that she was working on a case that just couldn't wait. He'd been patient, sitting in the office chair opposite her for a few minutes before she finished typing up a paper and shut off her computer. They'd gone out to dinner and made small talk before Shane brought up the issue at hand. He thought he could at least get through to her. Maybe she'd come home, if only for a little while, for her family's sake. No such luck.

XxX

 _"Seth misses you, you know." She froze, a forkful of cake halfway to her mouth. She gulped and set it back down on her plate. She avoided his gaze. Maria was a beautiful woman. Her bronze skin, dark hair and eyes, and smooth voice with a hint of a Spanish accent so did not make her look like a lawyer. Her lips pressed into a thin line._

 _"And not a day goes by when I don't miss the both of you. You know that," she retorted. "You have to understand, with me always being at work-"_

 _"You didn't have to take the all day position. You chose to. You could've taken the night position so that you could see Seth. All you ever tell us is that you're too caught up with work to come home. It's been, what, over three months now? Where do you go, if you ever leave the office?_ "

 _"I don't leave! I just said that! Can't you understand I'm doing this for the both of you?!" She pulls out her purse and throws bundles of cash and multiple checks on the table, moving plates and dishes out of the way. She crosses her arms and stares at him, scowling. "That's my last three paychecks and then some. About $66,000. Take it." Shane is flabbergasted. He shakes his head at her._

 _"No. I can't accept this. How will you-"_

 _"I have a makeshift bed and plenty of food in my office. I practically live there these days. If I make this much money in a few months, obviously I have enough leftover to take care of myself. Take it all and go. You always said you felt horrible for never making enough money for us. There's your solution." Again, he refuses. She flares her nostrils and shouts at him, accusing him of wanting their baby to starve because he had no guts to get a better job. Everyone's eyes were on him as he tried to calm her down. They'd worked together at that firm because it was their passion. Lately, it's become his wife's obsession, which is why he didn't take the last promotion, no matter how much he needed it. Skeptically, and reluctantly, he stuffs the money and checks into his pockets and jacket. She gets up and pays for their food, leaving a generous tip. She's bristly walking out, leaving him to jog to catch up with her._

 _"Maria, love, wait!" She's calling a cab. "Will you at least come home and stay? For just one day? If not for me or yourself, then for our son?" She looks at him sadly, a flicker of remorse in her eyes. Gently, she brushes a finger across his cheek, not meeting his eyes. Shane takes her face gently in his hands. He leans in and kisses her softly. She kisses him back before quickly pulling away_.

 _"I don't know, my heart. I love you, both of you, but I just don't know." She looks away from him. Part of her longed to be back with her family, to rest in Shane's arms, to see her handsome son smile at her every day, to be a normal mom. Another part of her wanted to work as hard as possible to make sure they both had the best life possible. It meant not seeing them as much, but money would never again be a problem for them, especially since Shane made less than half of what she did, which didn't make sense at all. She couldn't afford to be soft, not at a time like this. She got into the cab and all the emotion disappeared from her voice. "I have to get back to work. Goodbye, Shane," she said to him. He stood there and watched her go, wondering where the women he'd fallen head over heels with years ago had gone_.

XxX

Shane turned off his car, unlocked his front door, and softly closed it behind him. He set his briefcase down and put up his keys in the tray by the door. He looked around. Seth had cooked earlier, the smell of the brownies almost impossible to miss. A very delicious smelling soup's scent was also noticeable. The couch wasn't as neat as he left it, there was sugar spilled on the kitchen counter, someone's jacket was on a chair. And he knew Seth didn't wear leather jackets. Knowing just who it belonged to, Shane made his way upstairs to the guest room. Dean had been over earlier, meaning two things: he'd left his jacket here, or he was sleeping over. He checked the room and found it empty. Weird. He then peeked into Seth's room, not expecting what he saw.

Seth, two toned hair splayed out around his face, was clinging to Dean in his sleep. His arms were around his waist, head in the crook of Dean's neck, legs tangled together. Most noticeable of all is that both of them were smiling peacefully. They looked… happy. It brought a smile to **his** face as well. ' _Not_ _boyfriends, huh_?' he thought to himself. He tiptoed over and pressed a kiss to his son's forehead. Seth mumbled in his sleep, pressing a light kiss to Dean's neck. Shane had to hold back a chuckle. If the two could see themselves now… He's pretty sure the brunette would be mortified and Seth would be all different shades of red in the face, both of them denying everything. Shane walked out the door and closed it silently, making it into his room before collapsing onto his bed and burying himself under the covers. His last thought was of the life they could've had if Maria had just said yes…

XxX

Dean's internal clock woke him up at six o'clock. The first thing he noticed was that he actually slept, his usual insomniac or nightmare aftermath headache not there. The second thing he noticed was that he was not in his bedroom. He'd hoped yesterday wasn't a dream and he's kind of glad it wasn't. The third thing was the warm, comforting embrace at his back. He stiffened when he tried to move and heard a grumble of complaint. He slowly turned around in the person's arms and found himself face to face with Seth. His breathing quickened, panic starting to overwhelm him. Seth rested his head on his chest, mumbling his name. Dean once again tried to get up, but Seth spoke this time.

"Why're you up so early?" he mumbled, voice full of tiredness. "Go back to bed." Did he even know who he was talking to? Did he know what he was saying. He started to try and pry Seth's arms from around him. "Jon!" he protested. He would not be able to get to work with Seth clinging to him. He sighed. He actually kind of liked having someone who didn't want him to leave his side. In all honesty, he didn't want to leave either. He needed the money though, so…

"C'mon, pretty boy. You gotta let go o' me. C'mon." His voice was deeper and more gruff when he'd just woken up. He continued trying to break free of Seth's iron grip.

"Just call in sick." Dean snorted. Who in their right mind would believe him? Dean Ambrose did not get sick. "Don't leave. Stay with me." Dean's breath caught in his throat. Okay, now he was definitely sure he was dreaming. If only he could pinch himself awake. He didn't realize he'd said that out loud. " 'S not a dream," he heard Seth utter before he saw beautiful brown eyes slowly open and stare at him. Seth's eyes were still hazy with sleep, but he could still make out Dean's face, just barely, in the dark room. His sparkling blue eyes were confused.

"Can I at least shower first before you tie us together for the rest of the morning?" the brunette asked. Seth whined, but nodded anyway. He slowly unwrapped his arms from around Dean, who did **not** whimper from the loss of contact. Who's spreading those rumors? Seth threw him a dark shirt that didn't have a rock band's logo printed on it and a pair of loose jeans. Dean nodded gratefully to him and headed inside his room's bathroom. Seth's head fell back on his pillow, but sleep refused to return. His cheeks heated up when he realized what he had done. He'd slept in the same bed as a guy he was pretty sure he had feelings for. What's worse, he had clung to him in his sleep and refused to let go of him when he awoke. He had told Dean to stay with him. The younger teen groaned in embarrassment. If things were awkward before, they were even worse now. ' _I don't have a crush on_ -' You know what? Fuck it.

"I have a crush on Jonathan Good," he whispered to himself incredulously. Good Lord, how would he deal with this? Now was not a good time. Was he just falling for every good guy he met or something? Was it so bad to think that it felt so right? To have Dean in his arms? To cuddle up next to him in bed and not have a worry in the world? Was it so bad? Yes, it was. Dean's life was crazy enough without his closest friend making googoo eyes at him all the time. He had feelings. He would accept that. He would **not** express them. As he waged a war with his emotions in his head, Dean emerged from his bathroom a few minutes later, shiny brown hair in his eyes, shirtless with a towel around his neck. Seth looked once again at his chest and quickly averted his gaze when he felt Dean's eyes on him.

"See something you like?" Seth blushed. They were 14 for God's sake! Seth ignored the comment, getting up and fixing his hair a bit.

"I'm gonna go make us some breakfast," Seth replied instead. Dean nodded and watched his friend walk away. Get it together. Seth was confusing him on so many different levels, or maybe he was confusing himself. Seth trusted him, cared about him, enjoyed his company, was a good friend to him. Why then, were alarm bells going off in his head? Seth liked him, he could see that. Did he like him back? Yes, but not in that way. He didn't want to bring it up, especially since this was all new to him. He also liked what they had, this friendship. He didn't want to put it in jeopardy and make things awkward between them. What were his… feelings… doing? He pushed the thought away and finished getting dressed. He walked quietly down the stairs and saw Seth and Shane both cooking. Seth had bacon and eggs on one side while Shane had pancakes, toast, and waffles on the other. His growling stomach alerted them of his presence. Shane looked up and smiled.

"Good morning, Jonathan," he said, tone light yet exhausted. Dean nodded to him nervously. He met Seth's also nervous gaze. Shane looked between them. "Oh, I'm not mad, just curious. Why couldn't Dean sleep in his own house?"

"My mom's outta town and I left my keys in my room. Don't got a way of getting back in. Couldn't find the spare."

"And I wasn't about to let him sleep outside in the cold and the rain," Seth interjected. Shane nodded, still smiling and held out a fully loaded plate to Dean, who walked into the kitchen and took it.

"Thank you," he mumbled. Seth grabbed him and his dad some plates and set them down on the table. The three took their seats and started eating. It was a mostly silent meal, some small talk here and there. Eventually, they settled into a comfortable silence, the clanking of silverware and chewing the only noises filling the silence. When everyone had finished, Seth cleaned off the table while Dean tried to, and was once again stopped by Seth, to clean the dishes. This was getting ridiculous, so Dean took a bowl, making sure Seth's head was over the sink, filled it to the brim with water, and emptied it on top of Seth's head. The two toned teen froze, staring at Dean in disbelief. Dean just continued washing the dishes while Shane snickered at his son.

"Oh, thanks, dad. It's good to know you'll always side with me in everything," he said sarcastically. Shane just laughed louder, making Dean, and eventually Seth, join in. A few minutes later, Dean is grabbing a set of keys and his jacket, heading out the door. He stops and turns back to them.

"Thank you, for letting me stay here," he said again.

"You're always welcome to come by if you need a place to go," Shane told him. "Do you need a ride?"

"No, sir. *holds up his keys* I've got one." He heads out the door and across the street. Shane turns to his son in bewilderment.

"Does he mean-?"

"Yep." They watch him drive off, heading back inside.

XxX

After an uneventful Sunday, and an exhausting Monday during school, it was finally time for wrestling tryouts. Dean didn't know why they did them now, they just did. His mom had gotten back with Roy a few minutes after he got home from work yesterday. She apologized profusely to him, saying that they'd been busy and out of town. He honestly didn't care, just glad to be back in her arms if only for a moment. Roy gave him an all too innocent smile. Dean didn't believe his façade for a second. The school day had left him and Seth drained mentally, brains like wrung sponges. A few chocolate bars fixed that. Neither talked about or mentioned Saturday morning. They walked into the gym, seeing a few guys, a girl or two, and…

"Joe?" Dean asked. The Samoan turned around and beamed at them, though it looked like it pained him to do so.

"Hey, guys. You tryin' out too?" Seth nervously nodded while Dean just grinned.

"I'm already on the team. I'm just supporting pretty boy over here." Seth slapped his arm softly, mumbling something about not needing support. "So you worrying about how sloppy your snapmare and dropkicks looked and almost having a full blown panic attack doesn't give me the right to say I'm giving you some support?" Seth felt embarrassment creep up in his face. "Trust me, you will blow everyone away. Ya know, just no hitting or kicking. This is still high school wrestling after all." Seth nodded. Les Thatcher, the coach, walked in and observed the group who'd gathered. Three boys caught his eye. There's that Jonathan boy, who could probably out wrestle the rest of the team, the Anoa'i boy, who's parents he'd met, and that Lopez kid. Just what was he doing here?

"Good!" Thatcher shouted at Dean. The brunette turned and smiled, waving to the coach. He beckoned him, which essentially meant the three, over. "Why are you even at tryouts? You don't need to be here." Dean grabbed Seth's shoulder.

"I'm supportin' my buddy, Colby, here. He's almost as good as I am." Les looked the young boy up and down, clearly not impressed.

"We'll see," he said in a bored voice. "Mr. Anoa'i, so glad you could join us today." He shook Roman's hand, who looked apologetically at his two friends. The coach left them to it, going over to the rest of the students. Roman glared at the back if the man's head.

"I don't like him already," the Samoan said. Seth seemed to agree while Dean looked indifferent.

"He'll come around," Dean told them. "I couldn't stand his damn face last year either. One look at me and he said go home. I kept coming to practice after I blew everyone away at tryouts last year. Hasn't looked at me the same since. Don't worry 'bout it."

"Well, we all know Joe doesn't have anything to worry about." Seth mumbled. Roman groaned.

"Just because of my heritage people assume I'm a great wrestler. I don't even want to be a wrestler! I just want to kick start my football career!" He threw his hands up in exasperation. Seth looked at him quizzically and Dean had an eyebrow raised.

"Then why are you here?" They asked him at the same time, smiling at each other. Roman looked back and forth between them.

"… Because my dad thought I should tryout anyway, see if I have some potential. And that's just creepy, guys." The two looked at each other with mischievous grins on their faces, about to say something, before the coach got everyone's attention.

"Alright, listen up! My name is Les Thatcher, and I am your wrestling coach. Now, today is tryouts and…" As he explained things to everyone else, Dean carried on a conversation.

"Basically, he's saying that training for actual wrestling out in the real world makes training for this look like learning to ride a bike. It's not easy, and if you think it is then you should leave right now, especially if you're not gonna commit. Practice is Monday through Thursday, yada yada, other bullshit no one cares about. These first few months'll just be, like, conditioning and learning holds and stuff. You should see the newbies who think they're all that. Pfft. Gone within the end of the week. Long story short, he means try, kick everyone's ass, and aim to be the best. Shouldn't be too hard for us." Seth visibly relaxed some. Okay, it didn't seem **too** difficult. Roman just looked bored and pissed off.

"… With that being said," He looked around at all the people who thought they were tough enough to make it on his team. "Let's begin." The first thing they did was warmups. Laps around the gym, stretches, different exercises that stretched muscles most people didn't know existed. Seth led in the laps with Dean and Roman close behind him. Dean led in the exercises that a lot of people couldn't finish. Roman was surprisingly flexible during the stretches. Color the coach impressed as they were three of the seven or eight people who finished everything. It would take a lot more than being able to run laps and touch your toes to get onto the team though. "Partner up with someone around your size." was the next set of instructions after people stopped making a beeline for the water fountains. Seth immediately stood next to Dean, who laughed at him. Roman was a different size from everyone else all on his own. He was still 15 and not super huge, but he was still bigger than most guys there. He got stuck next to an upperclassman.

"Good! You're not even trying out. You don't get to be a partner." Dean looked around the gym and found no one without a person to stand next to.

"Hmm… I don't see anyone else he could lock up with," Dean replied, arms crossed and his trademark grin on his face. That was before someone left their partner and ran out the door crying. What the actual…? Thatcher smirked at him.

"You sure about that, son?" Dean scowled while Seth just gaped at him. The two toned teen reluctantly joined his new partner, some kid who looked like he belonged on a football field and not a wrestling mat. "Now," he says, directing his words mostly towards Seth, "Show me what you can do." He walked out of the mass of people who,for the most part, stood there dumbly, staring at the person they got stuck with. Seth had his partner in a collar and elbow tieup, a test of strength that he was winning, while Roman had his in a standing side headlock. "Are those two rookies the only ones listening? Don't just stand there!" That's when everyone finally got the message and began trying to impress. Dean walked over to his coach, the two sharing a one armed hug. Dean knew his coach was hard on people for a reason, it's why he liked him. Kind of.

"You're wrong about Colby," the brunette said, watching everyone alongside his coach. "He gives **me** a run for my money. I was one of the youngest guys on the team last year and I out wrestled the whole team, almost made it to the national level. As a freshman. If that kid gives me a challenge, how talented do you think he really is?" The man observed Seth for a while. Every move looked natural to him, like he did them without a thought. There was no hesitation in his movements. He caught Dean's eye after a particularly hard takedown. He smiled and continued on. A few others, mainly people from last year's team, had some luck against their partner who didn't know what the heck they were doing. Roman, with the few holds he did know, executed them pretty well. Some were still rough around the edges (Was that supposed to ba a German suplex or him tossing someone?), but his work wasn't too bad. The look of pain on their partners' faces told you just how effective the moves were.

"Like I said before, we'll see. I will admit, he does interest me. He looks like he knows what he's doing." A few more minutes went by before he called for everyone to stop. "Careful, Good. Someone might actually take your top spot this year," he warned over his shoulder. "Well, that was certainly… entertaining…" he yelled, addressing the rest of the students. "There are, of course, forms and a physical to turn back in if you want to be a part of the team. I hand you the papers on the way out, it's a done deal. If not, well, there's always next year." He handed Dean the papers first. Everyone grabbed their stuff and headed for the door. Dean waited on Seth and Roman, who were the last two out. He handed papers to Roman without hesitation. He looked at Seth for a moment, contemplating something, before breaking out a smile and handing him some papers. "The most impressive work I've seen in years. I look forward to seeing you next practice, Mr. Lopez."

"Well?" Roman asked when Seth finally left. Seth held up some papers, a disbelieving look on his face. Dean beamed at him, giving him a crushing hug for a few seconds. Roman high river him with a pat on the back. Seth looked to Dean.

"And you thought you'd do horribly. You two were pretty much the only ones that stood out from everyone else. I mean, some of the other people knew what they were doing, but you guys were just…" He makes weird hand gestures, trying to explain it all. They walk around to the front of the school, still conversing, where all three of their parents were waiting. Patricia stood by her car, telling something to Angie, who was standing by Dean's Camaro and laughing with Shane. The three look at their children. Dean was animatedly explaining something, Seth was saying something back to him, and Roman just listened, interjecting every now and then. Oh how familiar this scene of them would be in the future. They went their separate ways to their parents, not knowing that they'd just changed their lives forever.


	8. Ch 7: The Original Shield

Chapter Seven: The Original Shield

A/N: More Roman in this chapter because I've hardly mentioned him in this Ambrollins fic. I had fun writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy. Disclaim: I'm just a fangirl who owns nothing and fails to see how separating Dean and Seth is a good thing, titles, storylines, booking, creative, and shows aside. UNBELIEVABLE. HOW DARE YOU SPLIT UP AMBROLLINS, THE ULTIMATE WWE OTP (in my opinion). DO U EVER THINK ABOUT THE FANS WHEN YOU DECIDE THESE THINGS, HUH?! Ahem, anyway…

"So if that's three, then that side should be… But that doesn't make sense!" Seth threw his pencil at the wall frustratedly. He'd been staring at the same math problem for twenty minutes. It was the last one on the page and nothing he did would solve it. Roman looked up from his bed, giving Seth an exasperated look. Dean smiled at Seth, headphones on and homework complete. "What's with the smug look, Jon?" Dean hummed and put his headphones around his neck. He walks over to the bed and sits down next to the two toned teen. He picked up the pencil resting on Roman's now beat up pillow and wrote a bunch of things down next to the problem. He circled his answer and smirked, looking up at Seth triumphantly. "How-?" he began with an astonished face.

"Pythagorean Theorem. A squared plus B squared is equal to C squared. Basics, pretty boy, basics. Also, you carry the four before you multiply and then you fix the fractions *points to another problem*" Seth and Roman gape at him.

"What?" Dean asks. "Just because I'm lazy doesn't mean I'm stupid. I know what I'm doin'!" Roman throws his hands up in defense, shaking his head.

"I didn't say anything."

"And they call me a nerd. It should be you." Dean shook his head.

"Nah, I'm good. Got a reputation to uphold, ya know what I'm sayin'?" Roman looked between the two of them. The way they bickered, how they looked at each other, how comfortable they were in closed proximity. Man, he wished he had friends like that. (Sadly, they were all in Pensacola, and hardly ever talked to him anymore.) They were getting there, but not quite at that level of trust with him yet like they were with each other. For the last few months or so, since wrestling tryouts, the three began hanging out at Roman's house. Roman would forever remember the moment the two had had fanboy freakouts after meeting his dad. His mom loved the two, sometimes more than her own sons he thought. He's pretty sure she and Seth had exchanged recipes at one point. They would wrestle, play football, watch movies, walk around town, and go for runs together when they could. To Roman, they were the two little brothers he wished he had.

"We should come up with a stable name," the Samoan suddenly said. Dean stopped pulling on Seth's hair and Seth stopped poking him and looked over.

"What?" they said in unison. He would continue to be creeped out by that.

"A stable name. You know, like, a tag team name. We're the three best on the team, so we might as well stick together." Seth actually thought about it while Dean just crossed his arms.

"We'd need a gimmick, gear, and wrestling names, genius. Plus, we'd have to get other people on board. Spread the word and all that. Got any bright ideas?"

"SWAT team. For the gimmick and gear I guess. Or special agents of… something. Think about it. Roman's the guy who backs us up, intimidates people-"

"So I'm just the muscle?" Roman asked unimpressed. Seth shook his head.

"No. You're the quiet guy, the big guy-"

"The big dog. I get what you're sayin'." Seth smiled and turned to Dean.

"You'd be, like, this crazy, loudmouth, unhinged, unstoppable-"

"I'm a lunatic right? I'm crazy, rabid, violent maybe…" Seth looked unsure about the last part.

"Um… Yeah, that works. And I would be the guy who's kinda in the middle. I'd do all the "flippy shit" as Jon likes to say *Dean snickers* and… I guess I'd be the brains of the operation."

"Hold on. Didn't you just say that I'm the guy people should call a nerd? Who died and made you the smartest?"

"But you're the laziest, Jon," Roman interrupted.

"So?"

"Are you a guy who makes up a battle plan or just runs in guns blazin' and doesn't give a shit?" Dean closed his mouth and sighed. Score one for Roman.

"Exactly. He makes the plans, that makes him the brains. So, I'm the Big Dog, Jon's the Lunatic, so what're you?" he asks Seth. The youngest teen shrugged.

"Just call him the Nerd." Seth smacks the brunette's arm.

"Nah nah nah nah nah. I don't think so. No one's gonna take me seriously. That's the worst name you could possibly give a wrestler." Dean listed off more and more names, each more insulting and stupid than the last. When he said, the Fanboy, Seth tackled him to the ground and threw weak punches and elbows at his stomach and ribs. Dean faked being in pain, but one particular blow knocked the breath out of him. Roman laughed and pulled them apart.

"How 'bout the Architect?" Seth looked at him for a second and nodded, satisfied. Huh, not bad.

"Look at you, Joe. Okay, so, what about names?" Seth immediately spoke up.

"Tyler Black." He turns to Roman. "Your turn."

"That's what you want your first ring name to be, isn't it? *sigh* … Leakee." The other two were confused.

Dean asked, "Lay-ah what? Dude, you're not really gonna use your real name, are you?" Seth facepalmed.

"His name is Leati. Not Leakee. Seriously?" Dean frowned and started spelling things out in the air. He made an "Oh" face and gave a nervous laugh.

"Heh, my bad. Leakee it is. Samoan heritage and all, right?" Roman nodded. "My turn! My turn!" Dean shouted, jumping up and down like a hyper kid on Halloween. "Moxley. Jon Moxley. Done and done."

"Where'd you come up with that one?" Dean shrugged.

"It just feels right, ya know what I'm sayin'?" Oh how that name would come into play soon…

"Alright, so we've got the leader, Jon Moxley, because he's the most experienced out of all three of us. We have Tyler Black and Leakee. And we are…?" A name, the perfect name. What should they be called…?

"The Shield," the three said at the same time, confusing the heck out of each other. They looked at each other.

"How did…?" Roman began. Seth laughed and shrugged. Dean smiled, putting an arm around Roman's shoulder. "Ya know what? Never mind. You know we still need catchphrases and back stories and symbols, logos, music."

"When we actually get to the WWE hot shot. Worry about those later. What about our finishers?" The conversation went on for hours. Each of them contributed so many ideas, some great and others not so much. They talked about how it would look if they were in the WWE. Coming to the ring through the crowd so they could be closer to the fans, destroying everyone, making names for themselves, becoming champions, winning the title. So many dreams that they didn't know would become true. They'd achieve all that and more. Soon enough, the dream started coming to life.

XxX

Whispers were heard all over the school the day of Halloween. People were dressed up as all your usual monsters and characters. Witches, vampires, werewolves, celebrities, cartoon characters. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this. The fake SWAT vests weren't supposed to be their costumes, but that's just how things ended up. Dean had offered to drive everyone to school that morning, Seth and Roman unsure of whether they should just say no or hold onto each other for dear life in the backseat. They ended up doing the latter, seeing as how Dean was a freaking speed demon on the road behind the wheel. Dean, for some reason, had his hair slicked back by some sort of gel, saying something about trying out a new look. Seth had decided to tie his hair into a tight bun. Roman's mane of black locks remained untamed and out. They all got out of the car after smoothly pulling up.

Dean got out first, followed by Seth and then Roman. Heads turned and people froze in their tracks. Dean led the way towards the front doors while Seth and Roman followed from behind, faces devoid of emotion. Dean had a scowl on his face, throwing glares at anyone who looked at him funny. He strutted more than walked, trying to make his character seem more like him. When the first class started, every student's' eyes were glued to the three members of the Shield. Their teacher even stopped and took in their appearances. Clad in black kevlar vests like a SWAT team with wrist tape, black combat boots, black pants with black belts, black gloves, and killer masks. Dean wore a black hoodie on under his vest, Seth had a dark T-shirt, and Roman just wore the vest. How the teen wasn't shivering or shaking was a mystery to them.

Soon, their teacher started the lesson, not really paying attention to the class. "Hey, Lopez. Twinning with your two boyfriends?" some idiot across from him said. It was no secret now that Seth was bi, although the rumor was that he was trying to woo Roman (Thankfully not Dean. The nightmare his life would be if people knew.) after people saw them hugging, foreheads touching. That day, Seth just wasn't into it. It was one of those days where you just want to crawl under the covers of your bed and never leave. You just want to be separate from the rest of the world. Roman had tried cheering him up and, when that didn't work, he comforted him. Seth had initiated the hug while Roman touched foreheads, eyes closed and breathing calm. It worked wonders on Seth. Unfortunately, some people thought that they had kissed, tormenting Seth every day for it. Roman, being one of the best defensive tackles in the school's history and a talented wrestler, wasn't judged. Seth ignored the teen.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" The kid had reached over and slapped Seth upside the head. He tried not to react, clenching his fists under the desk in his lap. It doesn't matter what they say. None of it's true. They're doing it on purpose. It got to the point where other kids were throwing paper and pencils and anything small they could find at him. Roman gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to tackle them through the wall. Finally, the bell rang and Seth quickly gathered his things and left. Roman and Dean tried to catch up with him. Things went that way until the middle of the day. The class before lunch, Roman saw the boy who had insulted Seth first shove Seth to the ground. Another kid dumped his backpack out. Someone else decided to call him everything in the book. When he heard the word faggot, Dean suddenly launched himself at the nearest boy, throwing punches and kicks in flurries at him. Roman ended up spearing a couple of other guys into lockers, leaving dents, who got too close to his friends. Seth, holding his own, delivered a picture perfect enzuigiri. The boy after that, who was on his knees trying to stand up, got super kicked in the face, collapsing.

A crowd had gathered, watching at least ten upperclassmen boys get their asses handed to them by a few sophomores. "Alright, listen up!" Dean shouted as the students began chattering. The last enemy standing ran towards Dean, receiving a kick to the gut for his trouble, before eating a spinning side slam. He may or may not have heard a crack on impact. "I wasn't finished," Dean said through gritted teeth. "Listen up," he tried again in a quieter voice, tone cold as ice. "What you just saw is only a fraction of what we can do. You mess with one of us, you mess with all three of us. If anyone tries to stand in our way, you will regret it. I don't care who you are. The principal, police chief, a student, a parent, you could be the President of the United States for all I care! I dont give a damn! …We are the Shield…" Dean puts his fist out in front of him. "Moxley."

Seth's fist joins his. "Tyler Black."

Roman puts his out last. "Leakee."

"And we are here to stay."

"(Roman) Believe that." Dean led the way to the cafeteria, the crowd parting for them as they passed. When they were out of sight, Seth leaned against a set of lockers, sliding down to the floor and running his hands through his hair.

"Holy shit. What in- What the Hell did we just do?" He seemed excited, worried, and shocked. "What was that back there?"

"The debut of the Shield, Colby," Roman told him. "And man was that amazing."

"Did you see everyone's faces when they saw what was going on? Priceless, I'm tellin' ya! We should do this more often!" Dean exclaimed. "Nice catchphrase, by the way. I like it."

"The beating people up thing or the vests, getting into character, being badasses thing?" the two toned teen asked.

"These things are heavy as fuck. There is no way I'm wearing it all day every day. I'll be fine wearing my jeans and leather jacket." Seth crossed his arms.

"Be a wuss. They're not so bad." Roman scoffed at him.

"Says the one who needed help getting the dang thing over his head this morning." Seth looked away, frowning.

"Point taken. So, getting into character? Scaring the shit out of everyone? Sound like a plan?" The other two nodded, Dean helping Seth up as they headed to lunch, which they were ten minutes late for. The rest of the day went by fast, and the three were surprised when the bell rang for the final time. Seth, Roman, and Dean approached the exit, people scurrying out of the way as they came nearer. Everything seemed fine, until a certain someone started marching towards the tallest member of the group. Roman gulped when he saw his girlfriend, angry and fists clenched. They stopped as she stood in front of Roman and slapped him in the face. His cheek had a pink handprint on it now. Ouch.

"What did you do? First, I hear you're cheating on me and that you kissed a boy. Then, I hear you started a fight. There are four boys going to the hospital! What the Hell, Joe?!" Seth was slowly backing away while Dean just stared back and forth between the couple. The hospital? They didn't kick their asses too bad… did they? Oops…

"For one, Galina, baby, **ow**. Two, I didn't kiss anyone. I gave Colby a hug, that's it. Three, I didn't start a fight, I finished one. Someone was messing with Colby and they crossed a line. They attacked him and we defended ourselves. I'll tell you more when we get home, just not here, okay?" He whispered so only she could hear. She nodded and followed them out. Seth noticed Dean's split knuckles and asked if he wanted someone else to drive.

"I could call my dad." Dean shook his head.

"Nah, I'm fine. I've had worse, trust me. A few bloody knuckles will not endanger anyone in my baby." Dean affectionately pats the hood of his Camaro. He unlocked the car, started it, and revved the engine. Seth and Roman looked nervously to each other, sitting rather close in the back.

"Wait, is **he** driving?" The two look at each other again and nod to her. She cautiously sits in the back and takes Roman's hand, pulling her seat belt as tight as possible. Dean grins maniacally from the driver's seat.

"Hold on to something!" he yells, putting it in gear and speeding down the street. Roman grips Seth's shoulder tightly. Why had he agreed to ride in Dean's car? Why? Galina's eyes are wide, more in shock than in fear, so he squeezes her hand reassuringly. She glares at him. Roman smiles sheepishly and kisses her cheek. Dean is drifting around corners and running lights and stop signs. It's a wonder they arrived in the neighbourhood unscathed. The brunette drops Galina off at her house before making a u-turn and heading back to his house. He skids to a halt, leaving tire marks in the street. He steps out after switching off the ignition to admire his handiwork. He smiles proudly, opening the back two doors. Roman stumbles out, holding onto the car door for support. Seth rolls out and collapses onto his back.

"Oh God. Remind me **never** to drive with you when you get your license," Seth mumbled. Roman makes his way over and puts one of Seth's arms around him, half dragging him across the street. "I'm riding with dad tomorrow, Jon!" Seth called weakly over his shoulder. Dean gave him a mock salute before heading inside his house.

"Do you have your keys?" Roman asked. Seth nodded.

"But they're somewhere in this outfit. The boots, pockets, maybe even the gloves. Who knows? Just get me somewhere I can lie down, please." Roman sighed and half dragged Seth to his house. He unlocked the door and pulled Seth over to his couch in the living room. He gently deposited him there, watching as the younger teen's face contorted, somewhere between relieved and in pain. "Thanks, Joe," Seth whispered, holding his head. Whiplash? Maybe. About to throw up? Probably. Roman saw Seth's face and immediately took a seat beside him. He took Seth's face in his hands. "Why do you put up with me? Us?"

"Because you're my friends. More than that, *kisses him on the forehead* you're my brothers. I've got your backs no matter what. I know it's only been a few months, but it doesn't matter." Seth froze when he felt a kiss land on his head. He looked up at Roman like he was his only friend on Earth, which was almost true. He hugged the ravenette before collapsing back onto the couch.

"Brothers," Seth agreed. It rolled off his tongue effortlessly. They were the Shield, a brotherhood, a band of best friends looking to achieve their dreams. They were one step closer to getting there.

XxX

Roman can't believe he agreed to do this. Trick or treating was always fun, but seriously? They were in high school for God's sake! Dean wanted to go, and Seth, of course, agreed with him. The boys grabbed some pillowcases and headed out the door. Dean wanted to go through a haunted house, Seth suggested going to an upper class neighbourhood, and Roman just tagged along. "There's is nothing wrong with getting free candy and snacks just for dressing up. C'mon, it'll be great." Roman couldn't disagree with him there. Three haunted houses, a dozen neighborhoods, and three full pillowcases later saw the boys back at Roman's house late in the night.

"What movie should we watch?" Roman had an array of horror movies spread out on his bed. Seth was eagerly examining them all while Dean shied away from them. The youngest teen was concerned for his usually fearless friend. Dean backed down from no one and nothing. "What's wrong?"

"… Hate horror movies. My whole life is basically a horror movie. Every time I see blood, guts, or killing in movies, I just… Bad memories come up." Seth wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close.

"It's fine. We don't have to watch a movie. But don't worry, I'll protect you." Seth earned a light slap to the face for that.

"Needing protection is something **you** should be worried about," Dean mumbled, though there wasn't heat in his voice as he did. They decided to swap ghost stories instead, eagerly munching on their stashes of candy as they did so. Seth's story had something to do with a girl who gets possessed by her ex's evil spirit after he dies tragically after their breakup. Dean spun a pretty violent tale about four friends who go camping and get attacked and captured by a Wendigo, a horrible, vicious beast. The three make it out by sacrificing the member who volunteered to buy the others time to escape. He gave all the gory details. "And to this day, it's rumored that you can still hear his screams at nightfall if you pass by the area around the abandoned mine, and that, on Halloween, the Wendigo ventures out every few years into town in the dead of night to search out its next victim…" Seth had a vice like grip on his left hand that wasn't holding up the flashlight to his face. Dean smiled, because he'd proved a point and he kind of liked holding the other teen's hand. "Still think I'm the one that needs protecting? *Seth scowls at him* How 'bout you big man? Got any stories to tell?"

"Yeah, I guess so… It was twenty years ago…" He told the tale of a football player in high school who got turned into a werewolf when he went hiking and got attacked one day. He starts noticing that the students at his school weren't really students, but other monsters like him. Zombies, his arch nemesis rivals, the vampires, ghouls, witches, warlocks, ghosts, etc. Eventually, a war breaks out between the monster races because of some petty misunderstanding, and no one is safe. One by one, the monsters are taken out until he's one of the last ones left. He doesn't know who the killer is or what to do. On Halloween, he wakes up in the middle of an attack and finds himself covered in blood with his claws sinking into the throat of a zombie. He's the one who's been killing everyone. When he realizes this, he loses his mind, throwing himself off the top of the tallest building in the city and dying upon landing. Legend has it that whenever there's a full moon on Halloween, he's resurrected for one night. The worst part? The zombie he killed when he realized he started this war just happened to be his girlfriend at the time. He finished the story and flicked off the flashlight.

"Damn," Dean said. "And he killed the girl. Hmm… Oh well. So, now what? There's still enough time to watch a movie…" Seth shuffled and shifted next to him.

"But you hate horror movies."

"I can make an exception for one night. Besides, it's with you guys. What's the worst that could happen?" Roman watched as a chainsaw took off the head of an innocent young woman. He looked on in disgust while Seth laughed. Dean's eyes were wide and his face was pale. He gazed at Seth in confusion. "How is a girl getting her head chopped off by a chainsaw funny? Huh?" Roman silently agreed with Dean. He knew movies were fake, that it was just a plastic look alike head and really good editing that made the scene work. Someone being beheaded wasn't funny in the slightest. Seth stifled the rest of his giggles for a moment.

"Think about it. She pined over the guy for who knows how long, stumbles into him out on the streets, and then loses her head over him! Remember when she told the dude that he's making her lose her head? He even just said, "I made you lose your head, didn't I? For real this time-" Dean started blocking Seth out, not in the mood to hear why murder was so funny.

"Lalalalala! Can't hear a word you're sayin', pretty boy! All I know is that the movie ends with that scene and everyone getting blown up before some weird creature starts eating the corpses. Just hearing that makes me wanna hurl, man." Dean clambered into his sleeping bag, still facing Seth. Seth did the same, still facing Dean. Roman observed them for a minute before the two went over and hugged him, thanking him for the great night. The ravenette gladly returned the gesture climbing under the covers of his bed. "Anything for my brothers," he whispered to them, drifting peacefully off to sleep.

A/N: It was either don't post the chapter at all and rewrite the ending or wait until October to post this chapter. I'm doing neither. I'm not an author who writes holiday chapters corresponding to the actual holidays most of the time (birthdays don't count). Have a random piece of Halloween in July! The set up to the formation of the Shield (the whole Halloween costume, fight at school thing) wasn't planned out. I just wrote what came to mind. Seth's superkick to the kneeling opponent was the Avada Kedavera (however it's spelled), I think Dean's finisher was called Moxicity, and Roman's finisher as Leakee was a spinning bulldog of sorts, but I don't think he'd do that to someone on a concrete floor like that, so spear it is. This'll be fun to write… See you next chapter!


	9. Ch 8: What Happens Now?

Chapter Eight: What Happens Now?

A/N: She's a band geek, a mighty band geek, a piccolo for life… Don't know where **that** came from. This'll be a jumbled up mess probably, but here's the next chapter. Sorry that it's late! Also, special thanks to AngelOfDeathOfWrestling for being the first reviewer! Reviews on stories are pretty rare for me, so thanks! Even more special thanks to minimary16 and KillerKaiju for inspiring me to write on days where I just felt like doing nothing, reading, or being glued to my PS3. Your kind words keep me motivated and it means a lot! More author's notes at the end.

Seth woke up warm, well rested, and curled up beside Dean. He smiled and snuggled in closer to the brunette. It was a little after six in the morning according to Roman's alarm clock. Dean groaned, shifting and turning to meet Seth's soft gaze. He leaned forward, letting their foreheads touch, letting his eyes fall shut again. They stayed there for a while, sharing the same air, focusing on the other's breathing, faces mere centimeters away. Seth didn't know why, but he had the strange urge to close the distance between their lips, as did Dean. Instead, the two toned teen settled for a peck on the nose, making the brunette smile warmly at him and return the gesture. "Gonna let go of me now, pretty boy?" he asked, barely above a whisper. Seth groaned softly in protest.

"Do I have to?" he returned, making Dean snicker and kiss his nose again, trying to pry the younger teen's hands from around him. After about a minute of struggling, Seth finally let go, though he rested his head on Dean's chest next, listening to his heartbeat. It was thudding at a fast pace, and fluttered when Seth took his hand. He could just make out the nervous smile on his friend's face in the dark room.

"No," Dean replied. ' _I don't really want you to_ ,' he thought. "But, I kinda have to help pay for bills and food and stuff, pretty boy, so…" Seth squeezed his hand gently and gave him some room. Dean stood up and quietly made his way out of the room. He took a quick warm shower, walking out of the bathroom shirtless and toweling his hair. He started making his way back to Roman's room when he sniffed the air. Food, and good food too. Shirt in hand, he made his way downstairs and saw Patricia setting plates of waffles and fresh fruit on the table next to glasses of orange juice. Seth, still awake and also hungry, sidled up behind him silently. She looked up and smiled at them.

"I was hoping you were awake. I made you breakfast. Help yourselves, dears," she told them quietly. Dean eagerly made his way into the kitchen, still not used to having a decent meal. Seth and Patricia laughed softly at his enthusiasm. Seth walked over and took the seat beside him.

"Thanks, Mama Reigns," the two toned teen told her. She told him that it was no problem and that there was more food by the stove if they wanted seconds. She went back upstairs, leaving the two alone in the kitchen. Seth observed Dean drowning his waffles in butter and maple syrup, taking huge bites, but slowly chewing them, as if savoring the taste. Maybe he was. The two looked up at the sound of footsteps. Roman joined them at the table, fixing himself a plate.

"So, have you finally discovered the wonder that is my mom's cooking?" he asked his friends drowsily. Roman was wearing a pair of plain sweatpants and it looked as if he'd brushed his hair as soon as he'd gotten up. Seth nodded with a smile. Dean hummed his agreement, proceeding to lick his plate clean. Seth and Roman chuckled quietly at him.

"Dude, you can get seconds!" Seth told him gladly. Dean wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and took a swig of orange juice.

"I know," he replied, getting up for just that. Roman and Seth couldn't help but stare. Just a few months ago, he'd been skinnier, thinner, because he wasn't used to eating an actual meal. Looking at him now, it looked as if he'd been well fed his whole life. Dean felt pairs of eyes boring through the back of his head and turned to see his two good friends staring at him. "What?" he asked confused.

"Nothing, it's just… You look good, man," Roman told him. Seth agreed. Dean gave a half smile of sorts.

"Don't look too bad yourself, Joe." He threw a few pieces of bacon up in the air and caught them in his mouth before rejoining his friends at the table. They made small talk for a while, about all sorts of things. Roman talked about the football team, Seth mentioned student council and the gaming club, and Dean talked about When he finished eating, he dumped his dishes in the sink and thanked Roman for letting him stay over.

"No problem. Anytime, really." After a quick trip upstairs, Dean nodded before checking his car keys were in his jacket pockets and almost walking out the front door. He stopped and turned around hugging the other two briefly before leaving. It brought smiles to both their faces to see Dean not hide his emotions and affection as much as he used to. They finished eating and headed back upstairs, intending to enjoy the day until Dean returned.

XxX

"The Shield?" Galina questioned her boyfriend. She was hanging out with the boys on a Sunday afternoon. As promised, Roman was explaining what had happened Friday at school. He talked about the incident in the classroom with Seth, how people teased him. Seth explained the situation that started the rumor that Roman had kissed a boy.

"That night, my mom called. She's never home and she usually never talks to us, not anymore at least. She decided to call and ask how everyone was doing. She asked me how I was fitting in at school if I had any "friends". I told her I had two really close friends that would do anything for me and I would do anything for them. Then, she asked if I'd listened to common sense and gotten myself a girlfriend." Seth had made sure to tell them early on that his sexuality had driven him and his mother further apart. She couldn't look at him the same way, as if he was some stranger in her son's body. "We, uh, got into a fight. We were yelling at each other. I was the one who ended the conversation though. I said to her, "Well, maybe if you weren't such a judgmental, uncaring bitch, we wouldn't have issues and you'd still love dad!" I… I slammed the phone down and hung up. I felt so horrible. I couldn't look my dad in the eye all day, couldn't focus in class."

"That's when I tried cheering him up," Roman continued. "No matter what I said, I couldn't get him to smile. Jokes wouldn't work, conversations couldn't distract him, even Jon couldn't cheer him up that day."

"May I remind you that I hate emotions and feelings with a passion," Dean butted in. Roman rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, I pulled him aside after the last class of the day and I made him tell me what was bothering him. He refused to talk at first, saying that it was none of my business and asking why I cared. I told him because I thought of him as a little brother and that I cared too much to see him hurting. After that, he started talking. When he was finished, he was damn near in tears. I hugged him and did this." Roman pulled Seth into a hug and let their foreheads touch, both of them closing their eyes and matching their breathing. Galina observed the two for a second.

"I can see why they thought you kissed. You two just look so… You know! It looks kind of natural if that makes sense," she told them. Dean had a small smile on his face. It was almost sweet, the sight before him. He _almost_ walked over to join them. _Almost_. "So, the fight?"

"I was trying to get out of the classroom before everyone else because I didn't feel like hearing people talk about me behind my back. I'm walking to the cafeteria when the idiot who insulted me in homeroom decided to mess with me. Him and a couple of buddies decided to take my stuff, push me around, call me every name in the book. Outta nowhere, Jon just starts beating the shit out of them. Joe's takin' out everyone trying to get near us with, like, spears and tackles and stuff. Jon's doing every move in the book. I'm throwing around kicks and tryin' to get them outta my face. Jon starts talking and-"

"Some dipshit decided they weren't done takin' punishment, so I put him out of his misery, ya know what I'm sayin'? Probably broke something too. Heard a crack when he landed. I announce that we're the Shield and that no one should mess with us, yada yada, tough guy stuff. We get lunch, get through the rest of the day no problem. Aaaand then you slap the big guy over there and I'm laughin' my ass off in my head." Seth tries stifling a laugh while Roman glares at him.

"You wanna say something else, smart mouth?" Roman asks him. Dean simply sticks his tongue out and runs. Roman lets go of Seth. "Okay, that's it!" He chases after the brunette, leaving Seth and Galina to try and catch up with him.

XxX

It had been a few days since Halloween and it was finally Monday. Dean was sitting in his usual spot on the benches out front, accompanied by Seth, waiting for Roman to arrive. His car pulled up and he got out, slowly strolling over to them after kissing his mom goodbye. He sat on the other side of Dean, the three making small talk before an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Seth looked at his two close friends, taking in their facial expressions. Roman looked worried while Dean seemed lost in thought, tapping his fingers against his collarbone. Seth had his hands clasped together in his lap, head down and eyes staring at the gum on the sidewalk beside his sneakers. After what seemed like years, Roman finally spoke and broke the silence.

"So… what happens now?" None of their parents knew about the fight at school, which was weird considering it was all over the news and that people wouldn't shut up about it. After their little declaration, they couldn't go on with their lives pretending nothing had happened.

"We play our characters. Someone's wrestling persona is usually an extension of that person. Be yourself, but add a few twists and spins to your personality. 'S not that hard," Dean said out of the blue. He was kind of an expert on this sort of thing anyway.

"So the school is like the WWE of all this and we're wrestlers?" Seth asked.

"More or less." Roman nodded, putting his fist out much like last week. Dean's and Seth's joined his as the bell rang, signalling for students to head for homeroom. "Let's do this." They headed into their homeroom classroom and waited for their teacher to take attendance. When she said Roman's name, he simply raised his hand. He was being a lot more quiet than usual, she observed. His face was devoid of any emotion, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking and if he was being serious. When she got to Dean's name, he didn't respond. Seth and Roman stared at him. "What're you doing?"

"That's not my name," Dean voiced aloud, answering both his friends and his teacher. Seth grinned while Roman shook his head and tried, failing successfully, to hide a smile. "The name's Moxley."

"Don't be ridiculous, boy," she said to him, marking him present with a scowl at his behavior. Dean simply kicked back and put his feet on the table. Everyone else rolled their eyes at him. Typical Jon Good behavior. When she got to Seth's name, he said here, but corrected her.

"My name is Tyler Black by the way," he told her. She looked at him as if he'd just threatened to kill her in a million gory, grisly ways. Not him too? She finished attendance and ignored the boys for the rest of class. The three shared a look. So far, so good. The rest of the day went by just like homeroom. They refused to respond to anything but their Shield names. Dean was a bit more angry and aggressive than usual, his words more threatening than teasing. Seth was a lot more confident, a bit cocky at times, a little less nerdy than usual. Roman hardly said a word, hardly expressed emotion, watched his two brothers' backs like a hawk. He was living up to his role as a sort of protector. Everyone was baffled at how the three who called themselves the Shield seemed like three totally different people now. Even coach Thatcher noticed their behavior at practice as they basically nailed every move and finished every exercise he threw at them, even the extras.

The boys decided to walk home so that they could have a little more time to talk. They could be themselves now that school was over. Dean wore his leather jacket, Seth had his dark rock band hoodie, and Roman had on a jacket with some NBA team logo on it. The shivered as they conversed on a windy November afternoon. "So?" Dean asked. "First day bein' your characters. How was it?" Seth beamed at him.

"It's nice not having to be the goody two shoes kid for once. I like being myself." Dean ruffled Seth's hair, to which Seth replied with a light shove.

"I don't see why you're not yourself all the time. I love being around you when you're being a dork." Seth frowned.

"I am not a dork!"

"Are too."

"No, I'm not!"

"Are too."

"D-2," Roman said breaking up their little argument. "You guys done yet?" Seth scowled at Dean, who gave him a smirk.

"Yep. How 'bout you, big dog? Ya have fun? Was it all good today?" Roman nodded.

"I'm not the best talker anyway. It's good to just be able to sit back and listen to everyone else talk instead of everyone expecting you to carry on a conversation. Besides, it makes it easier for me to watch you guys' backs." Dean continued to smirk.

"You sure that's all you're watching?" he asked suggestively. Seth blushed, and gave Dean a look. As did Roman, whose eyes then lingered briefly on Seth.

"I have a girlfriend and she's the love of my life. I don't think so." Their street came into view as the conversation turned to more casual things. "I'll see you later, brothers," Roman told the two, hugging both of them before disappearing into his house. Seth turned turned to Dean.

"So, since we were at Roman's house all weekend, how about dinner at my place tonight?" Dean glanced at his driveway and saw a blue Camry parked there. Roy. Great. Seth's face fell a bit when he noticed. "It's cool. Maybe another day…" There was an awkward silence when neither looked at the other before the two toned teen sighed and turned towards his house. Before he could take a step, the brunette grabbed his arm and pulled him into a tight embrace that Seth immediately returned. Just being close to Seth could calm Dean down, but a hug? What worries? Dean reluctantly let go, hand lingering on Seth's arm for a second. "Hey, if you're not comfortable around him, I'm just across the street."

Dean replied, "I know. I'll catch you later, alright?"

Seth nodded. "Be safe, brother," he said and turned back towards his house, where his father stood in the doorway smiling at him. "Don't start. Don't give me that look!" he told his dad, who held his hands up in defense.

"I didn't say a thing." Seth looked at him disbelievingly.

"Nah, but I know what you were thinking. We're just friends, dad. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Enough times until I start to believe you," Shane responded. Across the street, Dean entered his house to see his mom and Roy chatting away in the living room. He planted a kiss on the top of her head before heading upstairs and flopping down on his rickety bed. ' _Brother, huh_?' he thought. Sibling were never something he considered, but he guessed that it wouldn't be such a bad thing. In an alternate universe maybe. ' _I like the sound of that_ ,' he thought as he took out an English assignment and looked over the questions. It was kind of hard to focus when the only thing that went through his mind was, ' _I have brothers_.' The thought brought a smile to his face. He put his homework down and laid back. It could always wait until later anyway.

A/N: I've been and camp and cross country practice for the last two weeks. Not to mention trying to keep up with each show after the brand split, TNA, WCPW, and Lucha Underground. Add in summer reading projects, writer's block, and working on multiple little one-shots when you should be writing the next chapter and you've got ZERO TIME. And I now have a newfound obsession with Fallout Shelter. Oh, and before I forget, my school year starts on Wednesday, so updates are going to take a while. I'll warn you in advance. Basically, I'm a procrastinator who should've updated this on Sunday. Sorry…!


	10. Ch 9: Long Distance

Chapter Nine: Long Distance

A/N: The usual apology for late chapters! Homework is just… Anyway, because I've mentioned people in the early chapters and never brought them up again, here's a chapter just for that. Again, I'm sorry that Dean and Seth are hogging all the attention from Roman, to those of you who are fans much like myself. I just couldn't really find a way to make him fit into this one plot wise. A little bit of backstory on Dean is included. With that said, here's a few messages and then your chapter! Disclaim: I am a fan who owns nothing but the tablet used to write, edit, and post this work and this work, which is nonprofit. WWE owns anything recognized.

To DeanSethforever: I'm glad you like the story so far! Don't worry. This story is my main focus… When I'm not doing homework or memorizing music notes and lyrics. :)

Warning: Contains a somewhat violent flashback. Swearing, blood, weapons, etc. Skip part labeled **Flashback** if you don't want to read it.

"No no no no… Yes! Take that!" Seth shouted triumphantly, throwing his controller up and doing a sort of victory dance. Roman stared in disbelief at the screen while Dean just grinned like an idiot. The two had been playing a Madden game and Roman had been up by about 5 and the score had been 17-22 in his favor. Seth, using his mad ninja gamer skills (Dean's words) had not only intercepted a pass from a wide receiver on the complete opposite end of the field, but had run the ball aaaaall the way to the other end zone **untouched**.

"You cheater!" Roman yelled, outraged. Seth just laughed at him.

"Don't be a sore loser, Joe. There's always next game," Dean piped up. The Samoan sighed and turned off the game system after saving the results of the level. This was right around the time that Seth's phone, which he rarely used, mentioned, or picked up, began vibrating in his pocket. His face lit up like a Christmas tree at the caller I.D.

"Sorry, guys, but I've gotta take this." Seth hit accept and put the phone up to his ear as he walked into an adjacent room. "Phil! It's been months, man. How you been?" Phil Brooks and April Mendez, the future married couple and WWE wrestlers that would be under the ring names CM Punk and AJ Lee, were two of Seth's only friends outside of Dean and Roman. They'd instantly connected back when Seth lived briefly in Chicago. The last time he'd spoken with the two, they'd started dating. Neither of them had been your average teen back when he'd first them. He didn't expect that to be any different now.

"Colbster! Doin' just fine. Settlin' down okay in your new town? Where are you now anyway?"

"Uh, over on the east end of Cincinnati. And, actually, I'm settling down pretty well. Got a couple of good friends, like the town. It's pretty nice. Even school's bearable these days."

Phil asked, "But they know?" Being anything but straight had always caused Seth issues. In Chicago, it actually ended up causing some gang at his school to jump him. He ended up in the hospital with bruised ribs, a broken arm, and a mild concussion. Goodbye Chicago, hello Indianapolis! "Your new friends don't judge you?"

"Nah. Actually, one of them was the guy I had a **crush** on in the first place," Seth admitted, embarrassment evident in his voice. Phil laughed softly. "His name's Leati, but we call him Joe. Dude's got a girlfriend though, and we're pretty good friends anyway. It's not like I'm torn up about it."

"What about the other guy?" Seth stayed silent as he tried to think of a way to describe Dean to his friend. In a non fanboy-ish way. He didn't know whether or not to tell Phil about his sort of crush for his leather jacket clad friend. "Still there, Blondie?"

"Dean is… everything you'd want in a friend and so much more. It took him a while to open up and trust me, but we're pretty close. And he rocks the cliché bad boy look perfectly. He's… amazing…" Phil chuckled.

"Didn't know you were into those kinda guy. Have you ridden his motorcycle with him off into the sunset yet?" he joked.

"I didn't think you'd be into crazy! Have you and April plotted how to overthrow all the teachers yet?" There was rustling on the other line before Seth heard a higher pitched female say, "Oh, give me that!"

"April! Heh, how's it going?" he asked nervously.

"I heard that last comment, Colby."

"Hey, it was a compliment!" Seth stated, free hand up in defense.

"Mmmhmm. So, is this bad boy your boyfriend?"

"Is Phil _yours_?" he shot right back.

"Yes. Your turn." Seth opened his mouth to speak before promptly closing it. No, Dean's not his boyfriend. If he was honest with himself, he didn't want a relationship yet. Not only has he never exactly had one, but the last person he'd admitted his feeling to had kindly turned him down. At least Phil was nice enough to let him down easy! Even better was the fact that the two were even closer as friends than they had been before the confession.

"No, we're not together. I don't think I'd even be ready if we both felt the same way."

"Well, when you do end up with him, I better be the first to know. I don't care if it's next year or next decade. Call me and Phil. And-" she growled as she was interrupted by someone else on her end. "Yeah yeah, mom! I'll be there in a second! Go get him, Colby!" April told him before handing the phone back to Phil.

"How've your folks been, Phil?"

"You know how they are. Mom works two jobs, dad's drunk off his ass. April keeps me from trying to kill him. Same old same old. What about you?"

"Mom's never home anymore. She practically lives in her office. Dad and I are just enjoying ourselves. Brand is having fun in college. Nothin' really new." Should he tell him about…? Eh, why not? After a pause, Seth began explaining to his friend about how he'd joined his school's wrestling team and the whole thing with the Shield. Phil was silent throughout the story, taking it all in. When he finished, Phil spoke.

"Tyler Black? Sounds like the name of a lead singer from all those, metal and rock bands you listen to." Seth frowned, about to speak up about that. "But, I think it's pretty cool that you three are doing this. Just don't take it too far, alright? I don't wanna turn on the news and see that a couple of friends in Ohio got killed in a huge gang fight or something."

"Ha. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"You better be, or I'll come to Cincinnati myself and hunt them down. Listen, I have to go, but I'll talk to you again soon, alright?"

"Yeah. Take care, man," the two toned teen told his friend.

"You too, _Tyler Black_ ," he said lightheartedly before ending the call and hanging up. Seth smiled and shoved his phone back in his pocket. It was good to hear from his old friends every now and again. Dean walked into the room holding a plate of sandwiches. He held it out to the younger teen, who gladly accepted one.

"Old pal of yours call you?" he inquired. Seth nodded, taking his phone back out and pulling up a picture of a teen with shoulder length black hair, dark eyes, and a lip ring. His upper arm had a small tattoo on it. Next to him sat a girl with shoulder length brown hair, glasses, dark eyes, and brown skin. Dean stared at it for a moment. "Seems like your type."

"And how would you know my type, exactly?"

"Because I know you, pretty boy. And I'm willin' to bet you had the hots for you buddy there. And maybe her, but I don't think so." Seth gave him a look before shutting his phone and putting it back in his pocket. The next few minutes consisted of Dean teasing Seth, Seth arguing with Dean, and Roman avoiding the various foods flying through the air. It didn't stop him from getting a facefull of mayonnaise though. He slowly wiped it off his face and stared at his brothers. Then, he nailed Dean with half a sandwich. And so the food fight began.

XxX

The day had been going so well for Dean. He'd hung out with his two close friends, brothers, at Roman's house for a few hours. When Roman had to leave for football practice, he and Seth had gone to his house. He'd been enjoying himself. Until the phone rang, of course. Hardly anyone called his house, and if they did, they were either the police or the rare relative who remembered his mom. Seth asked if he was going to pick up. He didn't recognize the number, but picked up the phone anyway. His mom was out shopping for groceries at the moment. "Hello?" he asked.

"Jon?" a man's voice asked. He sounded relieved and surprised that someone had answered. Dean dropped the phone, hardly believing his ears. He hadn't heard that voice since he was eight years old. Was it who he thought it was? He didn't want to get his hopes up, but… Could it be? Dean swallowed and picked up the receiver. Slowly, he brought it back to his ear. It took a lot of courage on his part, but he uttered the one word he needed to say.

"Dad?" he asked timidly. The man on the other line smiled. Dean could hear a low and happy chuckle. Seth's eyes went wide.

"Hi, son," he replied, confirming the brunette's thought. "I… I never thought I'd hear your voice again this soon." Dean half laughed half sobbed. He knew his dad had done horrible things to his mother in the past, but he could never stop loving him. Never. Behind the abusive drunk who'd driven him and his mother onto the streets was a caring, overprotective, brave, compassionate man who cared more about his family than he did himself. Behind the monster his mother saw was a dad who encouraged him to achieve his dreams and not let anything or anyone stand in his way. Behind the person his mom never wanted to see again was his dad. Seth smiled at his friend, who had beyond happy tears falling from his eyes. He pulled Dean into a hug that the older teen gladly accepted.

"Neither did I," he whispered. "Is this your one phone call you're using?"

"Yeah. I didn't think you'd pick up. I thought you or your mom would've told me to go to Hell and slam the phone back down, ya know what I'm sayin'?… I, uh, I was eligible for parole a few months ago and I went to court. My sentence should be up in a few more months, if not, weeks. They're letting me go." Seth looked at Dean, whose small smile turned into a full blown grin. He let go of Dean, telling him he'd give him some alone time with his dad. Most people would call Dean crazy for not being angry at the man. He'd hit his mom, many times, spent most of their money, and almost harmed Dean. In truth, he was angry. Part of him never wanted to see his dad again. In his heart, however, he'd found a way to forgive him. He wanted to give his dad a second chance. He wanted a life without all the mistakes that drove his family apart.

"That's… that's great! Will, uh… will you be coming home?" His dad sighed.

"I don't know, Mox. Your mother… may not be so glad to see me. Not after the last time we saw each other."

"I'll be though! I know that that night wasn't exactly a good night, but you know I love you, right? I'll always be happy to see you!" Dean protested. He was really glad Seth wasn't in here right now. This was one of the few times he was ever emotionally vulnerable.

His dad chuckled sadly and said, "I love you too, son. I just don't think your mom would like it if she knew I called-"

"You're damn right I don't like it!" shouted a voice from the front door. His mom stood in the doorway, red in the face, holding two grocery bags. How could she even hear the conversation from all the way over there?! Putting down the bags, she marched over and snatched the phone from her son. Seth stopped in his tracks at tye bottom of the stairs when he heard her shout.

"Angie-"

"No, Bradley! Haven't you damaged this family enough? We don't need you to come back and just fuck up everything I've tried so hard to fix because of you! I won't let you hurt us again."

"Mama-" Dean tried to say before she cut him off.

"How could you talk to him after everything he's done to us? How could you forgive him?" She asked her son angrily.

"He may have hurt us, but I love him just as much as I love you. He's my dad! I forgave him because I **know** he can change and make things right! I forgave him because I **want** him in my life!"

"Well I don't. (says into the phone) Don't you ever call this number again or come near us, you son of a- Jon! What are you-? Let go!" Dean had tried grabbing the phone from his mother before she could hang up and push his dad away.

"Don't worry," his dad said into the line, voice devoid of emotion. "I won't." The line went dead.

"No!" Dean shouted as she finally ripped the phone away from him. She sighed and pulled her son into a hug. He struggled, emotional barriers coming up once more.

"No! No! Listen to me! Jon!" He eventually stopped struggling, breathing heavily and clenching his fists. "I know you miss your dad. If… If you give me some more time, then I'll let him come back. I need more time, sweetheart."

"It's been almost seven years. Wasn't that enough time?" he asked, returning the embrace and seeking comfort. "He's different now, I can feel it. You know that my gut's always right." She smiled sadly at him.

"Except about Roy." Dean scowled.

"He's just biding his time, making you trust him. I know he's up to no good. I won't ever trust him. If he lays a hand on you, I'll kill him." Angie sighed and stroked her son's hair.

"I don't doubt that," the sort of redhead said, letting him go. "I'll put things up in the kitchen." He nodded, heading for the stairs. He saw Seth sitting at the bottom, head in his hands and lost in thought, making him freeze.

"How… how much did you hear?" Dean asked. Seth gulped.

"Just about all of it. I… I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. You would've found out eventually." There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. "You wanna, um… head up to my room?" Seth nodded. He'd never seen Dean's bedroom before. Dean opened the second door on the left. Inside was an old writing desk, a rickety bed that looked about ready to fall apart, an ECW poster, a small tv sitting on a small table, a dresser that needed a serious paint job, a laundry basket, a half empty closet, and a space for someone to sit by the window, kind of like a bench, comforter combo. His curtains were drawn closed and stray clothes littered the floor every now and then. "Welcome to my humble abode, pretty boy." Seth proceeded to look around a bit more.

"Well, it's…" he started to say.

"Bet you thought I lived on a mattress in a bare room with nothing but an old blanket or something. Am I right?" He was smiling, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Seth could see right through him.

"Uh… something like that, to be honest."

"Well, this is it. Not too bad. Beats livin' on the streets, ya know what I'm sayin'?" Seth nodded, both of them taking a seat on his bed. Seth, on instinct, pulled Dean into a hug. He stiffened, but returned the embrace, burying his face in Seth's hair. "Thanks, Colby." Downstairs, Angie had just finished putting up the groceries she'd purchased earlier. The phone call had rattled her more than she was willing to admit. It definitely brought up unwanted memories.

XxX

**Flashback**

About 8 ½ years ago…

 _Angie watched with a warm smile on her face as her son played around with his Bret Hart action figure his friend, Max, had let him borrow. Dean had the biggest shit eating grin on his face, as he always did when wrestling was involved. He laughed, shouting, "He's got the sharpshooter locked in! He's in a world of pain! Tap! Tap! Taaaaaaaaaap!" Her sweet, young angel. She ruffled his hair as he hugged her legs (he was sitting on the ground). Another child, a girl a few years younger than Dean, sat next to him holding a Sting action figure. She was the spitting image of her mom, but with her dad's eyes and rosier cheeks._

 _"Oooooohhh! And he reverses it into a scorpion deathlock! Bret's trapped!" Angie kissed the top of her daughter's head and went into the kitchen of their small apartment. She began cooking a simple meal, macaroni and cheese, because it was just one of those days. She had just finished and was putting bowls on the table when her husband, got home from work. He slammed the door behind him, throwing his jacket over the back of a nearby chair. He was seething, face slightly red and brows furrowed. He was a handsome man with curly brown hair (that would look like Dean's hair now, but way curlier), deep, green eyes, and a strong build._

 _"Can't fucking believe this…" he uttered, plopping down in a chair and resting his head in his hands. Angie turned the stove off and walked over, placing a comforting hand on his tense shoulder. He stiffened before relaxing into her touch. He sighed and leaned back, sitting up straight. "I fucked up at work. Fucking Hell, I fucked up. Treated everyone like a piece of shit…" The man swore like a sailor when he was in a mood. She went and stood in front of him, taking his face into her hands._

 _"It's alright. It happens to everyone. *sits down in his lap* Why did they send you home, honey?" she asked him softly, kissing his cheek lightly. He sighed again, taking her hand in his._

 _"I… I'mma be honest, sweetheart. I wasn't exactly… sober… earlier. You know how I am. My flask and I're attached at the hip…" Angie sighed exasperatedly. Her husband was a sweetheart, but when he was drunk…? He was nothing short of terrorizing, and he and his family all knew it._

 _"Which is why I keep telling you to leave it here," she said through gritted teeth._

 _"Try being addicted and going ten_ _seconds without whatever you've always got cravings for, then you'd understand."_

 _"Well, maybe, if you hadn't gotten addicted in the first place you'd understand how I feel." Bradley gave her a look._

 _"So what're ya sayin', princess? 'Sayin' it's the alc'hol's fault?"_

 _"No," Angie whispered, trying to keep her composure. "I'm saying it's_ _ **your**_ _fault for being drunk. Don't drink and none of this'll happen. As a matter of fact…" She slipped her hand into his pocket and drew out a hip flask that was just about empty. She went to put it away when her husband grabbed her wrist._

 _"Put. It. Down," he growled. Angie shook her head, trying to pry his hands off of her._

 _"Let go of me, honey." He growled and it became a sort of tug of war for the flask. It came to a point where Angie felt a stinging pain in her cheek before abruptly letting go. She held her face, looking away from him. He dropped the flask and quickly checked to see what he'd done. A bright red hand mark could be seen on her right cheek. He kissed it repeatedly, saying over and over again in a broken voice apology after apology. Angie kept repeating that it was fine, that she knew he didn't mean to do it. And that was before they heard the gasp. Dean heard and saw everything. His dad had hit his mom. He felt hurt, betrayed, like he'd been lied to. Bradley turned to his son._

 _"Daddy?" he asked quietly. He ran over to his son and engulfed him in a huge hug. "Why?" 'Why would you ruin the image of you that I had? Why would you hit her?'_

 _"It's okay, Jon… It's okay, Moxley. Everything's okay. Your mom and I just had a little… argument. Everything's fine, alright? My little Mox… Go keep your sister company, okay?" Dean nodded, kissing his dad's forehead, who kissed his in return, before scampering off. Bradley turned back to Angie. "I guess we need to talk…"_

XxX

A year and ½ later…

 _Dean was 8, had borrowed yet_ _ **another**_ _action-figure, and had run upstairs immediately to show his sister what the Undertaker looked like. Angie had to once again confront her husband about getting sent home from work. The first time it happened, about a year and a half prior, it hadn't been such a big deal. Nowadays, it was a regular occurrence. Everyday, he'd go to work and every other day, he'd get sent home. Angie was just about fed up with it. Her red face, gleaming blue eyes, and reddish brown hair made her look a little like she was on fire. On the inside, she was. She walked into the kitchen to find Bradley downing a bottle of whiskey. She marched over to him with a goal in mind. "This has to stop," she told him sternly. He finished the drink and set the bottle on the table._

 _"Dunno wha' you're talkin' 'bout, princ'ss," he responded, opening yet another bottle_.

 _"No, you know exactly what I'm talking about! It's been almost two years and_ _ **nothing**_ _has changed. It's like we're reliving the same day over and over again. Nothing I've said or done has fixed any of this." He stood up, shaking in anger. He held an unopened bottle of beer in one hand._

 _"Ya know, I'm sick and tired of hearin' you bitch an' complain about me every damn day of the fucking week. I can drink if I fucking want to! It's not like my job will miss me!"_

 _"When you don't work, you don't get paid. When you don't get paid, what happens to us?"_

 _"Your shitty job at the factory paid bills perfectly fine before you quit!_ "

 _"That's because our children wanted me to and nothing was getting done here at the apartment when we were away! They've had to fend for themselves for the last year!"_

 _"That's not our problem!"_

 _"You know damn well that it_ _ **is**_ _-" Before she could continue, he swung the bottle towards her head. She ducked, allowing him to trip her, but not before she swiped a switchblade from his belt. He kicked it out of her hands before smashing the bottle he held right next to her head. A shard or two scratched her scalp. She had a cut across her forehead and a small trickle of blood began running down the side of her face._

 _Immediately, Dean jumped when he heard the sound of shattering glass. He told his sister to stay in their room and, no matter what happened, not to leave. She nodded. He rushed downstairs to find his father staring down his mother, bits of broken glass surrounding them._

 _"Dad?" he asked from the middle of the stairs. He was shaking like a leaf. The crazed man before him was not his father. Before he could speak again, a beer bottle whizzed past his head, smashing against the wall behind him. It had been intended for his wife before she ducked out of the way. Dean jumped yet again, almost cowering. His mother was outraged_.

 _"Are you_ _ **trying**_ _to kill our son?! What is wrong with you? Why have you been acting like this? We have a good life here! A son, a job, a home," she told him. "A little girl, a paid off car, money. How dare you ruin this for your own obsession!" The two were walking towards the eight year old, still arguing. Bradley had grabbed another bottle and was aiming at Dean again before his mother slapped it out of his hands. He started hitting her and she started hitting him. They traded blows back and forth, trying to wear the other down as much as possible. Soon enough, he had Angie overpowered and she was knocked to the ground as he rounded on his son. He scowled, but one look in his eyes showed fear, remorse, and something that Dean just couldn't put his finger on. The small brunette looked up hopefully at his dad, still wary. As he raised his fist, she threw herself in front of her son. "Don't you touch one hair on his precious head. You strike either one of us and we walk," she threatened. He didn't lower his fist. Instead, he opened it. Two things fell out of it at Dean's feet: a set of keys and a piece of paper. That paper turned out to be a ticket to a live show a few minutes away in a few months, front row seats. The set of keys were to his beloved midnight black Camaro that he kept spotless and in the best condition possible_.

 _"I would_ _ **never**_ _hurt_ _ **our**_ _son. He's basically the most important thing in my life. I love him too much to ever even_ _ **think**_ _about hurting him in any way. Those are his. And you say that_ _ **you'll**_ _walk? *fishes a paper and pen out of his pocket* I'll walk. Just sign on the dotted line." He held them out to her and she snatched them away before signing and thrusting them back at him. She hadn't read or looked over it. She didn't care. If it meant he'd leave them alone, she was on board_.

 _"There. What were they?" she asked coldly. Bradley smiled hollowly._

 _"… Divorce papers," he whispered back. Angie paled and Dean wailed. He may be eight, but he knew what those words meant. Angie wouldn't deny that she'd been thinking about it, but she didn't actually want to do that, not to her kids. "I worked out most of the legal details. Everything's been settled. Our little girl's gonna go live with my brother down in Tennessee. At least then I can see at least one of our angels when I get out._ "

 _"Get out? Get out of what?!" Angie inquired frustratedly. Her husband wrapped his arms tightly around his son, whispering words of love and encouragement into his ear. All she could make out was, "I love you, son. Don't ever forget, and don't give up your wrestling dreams, Mox. Prove them all wrong._ "

 _He faced his wife with a defeated look on his face. "Jail," he said simply before the front door was kicked open and several police officers came rushing in, shouting and pointing their guns at him. He slowly put his hands up, dropped to his knees, and made eye contact with his wife. A second later, their daughter came sprinting down the stairs, crying out for her dad. The officers allowed them a few seconds before pulling her forcefully out of his arms and whisking him away. She'd find out later that he'd called the police, leaving an anonymous tip that a dangerous man would threaten a family at a certain time, giving their address and the man's description. He'd purposefully set himself up to be arrested. The guilt had been too much. Angie's legs gave out and she was left kneeling, holding on tightly to the only two things that made the world worth living anymore_.

XxX

End **Flashback**

Angie snapped out of her daze. Trying to shake the cobwebs out of her head, she went upstairs and peeked into her son's room. She laughed quietly to herself as Seth tried to explain how his phone worked. So far, the only thing Dean had done successfully was turn it on. He wasn't the most tech savvy kid. She retreated back to her room and collapsed on her bed. After all these years, she still held a grudge. She was starting to seriously regret some of the things she'd said. Wasn't she always preaching different lessons to her son. Treat people how you want them to treat you in turn, manners, respect, forgive, but never forget, don't ever hate or hold grudges. She sighed and hurried her face in her hands. "Forgive me," she whispered out in the open as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Please forgive me."

Closing A/N: Aaaaah! I made it too angsty-ish! Nuuuuuu! *clears throat* So, I watched the Stone Cold Podcast w/ Dean as the special guest on YouTube and… let's just say that I've learned more from that hour than I have in ninth grade and my AP classes, which give me nightly hw assignments, the last five days, combined. I didn't bother looking stuff up, because I don't really trust the internet (I'm looking at you, Wikipedia). I like to keep my stories, AUs or not, to be as close to the truth and realistic as possible. Expect me to incorporate my new knowledge into future chapters. See you again when I finish my AP World History assignment!


	11. Ch 10: Haunted (Part 1)

Chapter Ten: Haunted (Part 1)

A/N: I'll be honest, I've been slacking, but that's partly because marching band season is in full swing with a parade we're marching in about a week and two more songs to learn drill for. Also, AP tests are hard.

For my original message: Oh my Jesus. These reviews I'm getting are making me so happy. Thank you for making me feel like I did something right, especially on a chapter I was unsure about! So, that was some Ambrollins fluff-ishness bonding kind of stuff… I guess, along with some of Dean's backstory. Now, we're back to school stuff, which is what's making me take so long to crank out chapters. Chapter title inspired by the Kelly Clarkson song off her My December album. Enjoy!

AP classes. What was there to say about them? You were in a college level class where you have to lug a huge book around school all day, even when you weren't going to use it in class, where you don't understand half the things you're learning, and where you wish the bell would ring to send you to your next class. Roman hated AP classes. With football and wrestling on his schedule, what time did that leave for homework? Absolutely none. He'd be up until one in the morning trying answer chapter questions he couldn't find. He wouldn't let that show though. Now that the first few months of school were behind them, things kicked into gear and the workload increased. With exams in a few weeks, even more so. Seth, being his usual nerd self, didn't really complain. He loved learning, knew the costs of wanting to learn. Dean couldn't care less, though he did do his work. Most of the time. The only thing the three could agree on regarding AP classes was that having tests on Fridays absolutely sucked, no question about it.

It had been almost two weeks since that phone call and everything seemed to be back to normal.

Everything except Dean, of course.

The brunette was always out of it these days. He couldn't stop hearing his dad's voice in his head. He couldn't stop hearing his mother's angry shouts. He couldn't stop remembering the night that everything had gone wrong. It haunted him everywhere he went: school, the shop circle in town, at his house, Seth's, Roman's, it didn't matter. Seth knew why Dean was acting so off, providing comfort when he knew he needed it most. Roman, however, was like an oblivious mother hen, not knowing about the phone call. "Dude, are you sure you're alright?" Roman asked for the thirtieth time that day. Dean scowled and waved him off as they searched for a table in the cafeteria.

"I'm fine, Joe. What is with you today?" Roman folded his arms and frowned.

"What's with me? What about you? For the last two weeks, you've done nothing but sulk and zone out every time I see you. What happened over the last few weeks? Was it the day Seth went over to your house?" Dean pointedly ignored him, sitting down at the end of the table next to Seth, who beckoned them over.

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine, really. If you're so worried, I'll tell you later at practice, alright?" the brunette told him. Dean looked to Seth and stared. "Dude, seriously?" The two toned teen had a huge book in his lap, scribbling furiously across the page in his notebook while biting into his sandwich. "You've been nonstop taking notes for the past three days. You lost to me, like, five times in a row in video games because you were highlighting and color coding your English notes."

" **AP** English. I gotta get these notes. The test is in two days."

"So just cram the night before."

"Because that's _such_ a good idea."

"I think it's an awesome idea. Always works for me, and I'm, like, the only guy who can compete with your grades, you know what I'm sayin'?" Seth finished his last paragraph of notes and took a swig from his water bottle.

"Well, you do that, and I'll be studying." He began quietly rereading his notes and making adjustments to them. Dean groaned and turned to Roman.

"Joe, help me out here, man." Roman put his hands up.

"I started studying last class. I know I'm not remembering all of this, so why take my chances? Colby has a point. It's an AP class. Doesn't hurt to be prepared." Dean sighed and finished what was left on his tray. By then, Roman had gone over to Galina, leaving him and Seth alone at the table. Seth looked up at Dean and saw the broken look in his eyes as he stared at his other friend.

"Hey, you alright, Jon? And don't give me that "I'm fine" bullshit either. Clearly, you're not. You can't convince me otherwise." Dean turned and gave him a weak smile. He pushed his tray away and let his head fall into his hands. How did Seth do that?

In an unsteady voice, he replied, "You always could see right through me. *sigh* It's… It's been… a long two weeks. It… it doesn't get easier… knowing that, that he could be out of prison… right now, and not be able to see me… He loved me… and I still love him. It's just hard to deal with the fact that… my mom won't let us see each other, but I'm dealin'. I'll be okay. 'Jus'… need a minute."

"It's been two weeks, Jon. What do you wanna do?" Dean looked him in the eyes.

"To see him… after you help me study for this AP test after practice today." Seth smiled and gave him a brief hug.

"Now we're gettin' somewhere." The bell rang, signaling for a class change. The two picked up their stuff and joined Roman on the way to science.

XxX

 _Louder, louder, the voices in my head_

 _Whispers, taunting, all the things you said_

 _Faster the days go by and I'm still_

 _Stuck in this moment of wanting you here_

"Good! Good, I'm talkin' to you! Where's your head today?" Thatcher shouted as Dean botched yet another attempt at a hammerlock on Roman. A _**hammerlock**_. He got through the standing side headlock, waist lock, takedown, chinlock, and everything else in between, but a **hammerlock** was giving him trouble. Dean stopped and pulled at his hair, apologizing again to Roman for twisting his arm in twenty wrong ways. "Good, do you hear me?!" Dean looked up at his coach.

"I told you, my name is Moxley. Ask Tyler and Leakee. They'll tell you, right big dog?" Dean asked his Samoan sparring partner. Roman nodded.

In a lowered voice, he asked yet again, "You sure you're okay, Mox? You aren't yourself." Dean glared at him.

"Just peachy. I just need a-" Dean didn't finish his sentence as he stared at the figure looking into the gym door. Thatcher made some announcement that Dean didn't catch, too busy staring into a pair of intense green eyes. "A minute," the brunette finished quietly. Seth snapped in front of his face, catching his attention. "Huh?" he asked his friend.

"Coach said to take five. Seriously, are you okay, or not? And *follows his gaze* who are you…" he trailed off as he observed the man who looked strikingly familiar. "That's not… _him_ , is it?" Dean paid him no mind, pulling on a semi-dry shirt and heading for the door. "Hey, wait up!" Seth shouted after him, catching Roman's attention, who also tried to follow his friend. Dean trucked through the door and ran after the man, who was walking towards a sleek black and blue motorcycle, helmet tucked under his left arm. Those too curly chestnut locks of hair and the jagged cut along his neck gave him away immediately.

"Wait!" the teen yelled, stopping the man in his tracks. He stopped a few feet behind the older man. "Wait. Don't leave, not without sayin' anything to me." The man lowered his head, pulling a set of keys from his pocket, but otherwise was standing stark still. "… Will you at least look at me?" The man turned his head slightly to look back before turning around completely with his head held high. He had a stubble now and his hair had grown a bit too long. The fact that he'd aged a little was somewhat noticeable. A worn leather jacket clung to his ripped frame and his jade colored eyes looked tired yet as bright as ever. Ripped jeans, a muscle T-shirt, and dusty boots finished the look. Dean took a step forward and stopped, observing the familiar yet completely alien being standing before him. Seth and Roman stopped a few paces behind Dean, drawing the man's attention to him. He smiled.

"I see you've made two good friends. I'm Bradley, boys. Bradley Good… *looks to his son* … It's good to see you again, Mox. It's been, heh, what? Eight years, right? You've- Ah!" His dad stops mid sentence as his son crushes him in a hug, burying his face in his dad's shoulder and trying to keep his feelings in check. "Grown," he finishes, slightly winded and wincing, rubbing his ribs as his son releases him.

"So _this_ is your dad." Seth walks up and extends a hand to him. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir. Your son speaks fondly about you." Bradley eyes the two toned teen curiously.

"You must be the infamous Colby Lopez my son's always writing to me about. He speaks fondly of you too. *shakes his hand* A pleasure to meet you as well." He looks behind Seth. "And you must be Mr. Anoa'i. I've heard good things about you." Roman nods and walks up to shake his hand as well. "Brothers, huh, champ?" Dean then noticed Seth holding one hand and Roman holding the other by his sides. It made him grin, squeezing their hands in silent thanks.

"The best I could ask for… Are you stickin' around?" Bradley ran his right hand through his wild curls, smile fading a bit.

"Maybe. I found a job and I got a house about twenty minutes from yours." Dean raised his eyebrows at that. His dad knew where he lived. The green eyed man chuckled softly. "I know I haven't been around, but I still have my eyes and ears on the streets… I'm going up to see your aunt later, actually."

"Let me go with-" He didn't get to finish his sentence.

"Don't even think about it. How would you explain to Angie how you got to Cleveland and back or where you went for that matter? Sorry, Mox. Maybe next time. If it makes you feel any better, I can give you my address and you can come see us whenever you want." Roman rubbed his knuckles comfortingly before releasing his hand and heading back towards the gym, leaning beside it and waiting for for his baby brother. Seth tried to do the same, but Dean pulled him back, not letting go of his hand and shaking his head.

"Stay," he told him. Seth looked skeptical, but nodded and returned to his side. Bradley took a piece of paper out of his back pocket, wrote down the address, and handed it to his son, who took it. He ruffled his son's hair affectionately, the brunette leaning into his touch.

"He's a keeper. I can feel it. You always liked guys better, right?" The older teen blushed, bowing his head and scratching the back of his neck while Seth's eyes went wide. Seth squeezes Dean's hand in reassurance, though he didn't know who for.

"What? Nah nah nah nah nah. We, we're not. We, no. It- We're just friends, sir," Seth stuttered. "Wait. Whaddaya mean…" All those times he… and all along, he was…? Bradley winked at him.

"He didn't tell ya? *sigh* Well, he does have an image to maintain, doesn't he?" The sound of footsteps made Dean's head snap up, seeing his dad climbing onto his motorcycle. He scrambled over, unintentionally dragging Seth along with him.

"Wait! … You'll tell Sylvia I love her, right?" Bradley drew his son in close, embracing him and placing a kiss on top of his head.

"Why wouldn't I? … I love you, Jon. *looks to Seth* You be good to him, alright?"

"I love you too, dad…"

With that, he puts on the helmet, turns the keys, and speeds off, waving back as he disappeared. A single tear slid down Dean's cheek. Seth gently wiped it away, steering them towards Roman.

 _Time, in the blink of an eye_

 _You held my hand, you held me tight_

 _Now you're gone and I'm still cryin'_

 _Shocked, broken, I'm dying inside_

"Who's Sylvia?" Seth asked carefully. Dean hesitated, knowing he'd already lied about the subject. " _Jon_."

"My baby sister," he answered quietly, looking away and quickly walking back into the gym, dropping Seth's hand. Roman goes after him, wrapping his arms around his friend. The gym had cleared since practice had ended during that conversation outside. "Two weeks ago," he began, "when Colby was hangin' with me, I got a call. It was my dad, calling from prison, saying he was getting released soon. My mom overheard the conversation and she got pissed, said things… I didn't think I'd hear from him again. Then, he shows up today and he has to leave… I don't know what to do, Joe." He finally returned the embrace, tightly, before letting go again. Roman didn't know what to say. He felt like he wasn't meant to hear this, that he was intruding on the moment. Seth was the one he confided in, not him. Seth was who he was close to, not him. "My mom took me while my dad sent my sister to live with my aunt in Cleveland, the night he got arrested. When he got out, he would get custody of her apparently, so that's why he's going to see my aunt. I haven't seen Sylvia since that night. I don't want… I just want my family back, **all of it**." The older teen wished he knew what to do or say to comfort him. "I should've told you. That's why I've been all unfocused lately. I'm…" he mumbled the last few words, but Roman understood what he meant.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It's none o' my business."

"But it is," Dean interjected. "You're my brother. You have a right to know things too, not just Colby." Roman just brushed the comment aside, rubbing comforting circles into his back. His insides melted a bit when he heard Dean call him a brother.

"If you want, the two of us can go with you when you go see your dad," Roman told him, letting go and giving the brunette room to breathe. He looked at Roman and gave a half smile.

"I'd like that… Yeah…" he replied. The Samoan gave him a small smile in exchange as Seth walked up to them. He immediately went over to Dean and hugged him. He reacted a little quicker this time, wrapping his arms around the smaller teen and burying his head in his shoulder. After a moment, they let go of each other. Grabbing their stuff, they walked back out of the gym side by side, trying to deal with what just happened.

XxX

There were ten minutes left in class and he hadn't answered a single question. There were 45 multiple choice questions and two short answers that he hadn't even attempted. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He'd looked at the short answers… kinda. He'd looked at the first page of questions too. No matter how many times he read them, however, all he could think about was two days ago after wrestling practice. Whelp, he was failing this test. His bubble sheet lay exactly where the substitute had left it and his packet of questions were turned to the last page, where the short answer questions were. He tapped his pencil insistently against his thigh, other hand holding his head up on his desk.

 _Where are you?!_

 _I need you!_

 _Don't leave me here on my own!_

 _Speak to me!_

 _Be near me!_

 _I can't survive unless I know you're with me!_

' _Where are you?_ ' he thought to himself. ' _Is she with you? Are you both okay? How are you?_ ' He just couldn't focus right now. Seth, who'd just finished the last question, looked back at his friend in concern. He saw the look on Dean's face and immediately felt down. He pulled a piece of paper out of his bag and began lightly writing something down. A minute later, with precision aim, he tossed the paper at an angle. It landed right between Dean's feet. Dean heard the sound of crinkling paper as he moved his boot and looked down.

 _Just this once. I know you're still shaken up. Paraphrase the short answers._

Below that was an answer key and a few paragraphs. _Thank you_ , he mouthed to him. Seth nodded and gave him an almost smile before turning back around. Dean chanced a glance at Roman, who was just finishing up the last question. Dean looked at the clock hanging above the chalkboard. Seven minutes. Okay. Quickly, he began bubbling in answers and rephrasing Seth's short answer paragraphs. "Is why… authors use themes to develop stories around," he mumbled to himself, writing the last sentence and finishing just as the bell rang. Phew. He slammed his pencil down and snatched up his paper. He put on top of the stack on his teacher's desk, went back to his seat to grab his stuff (including Seth's cheat sheet), and followed his friends out of the classroom.

"So, how do you think you did?" Roman asked them. "I'm pretty sure I missed the whole section on point of view. I always get the third persons mixed up." Dean gave him a distracted thumbs up while Seth went on explaining the difference, even though it was obvious. Roman pulled Seth aside as soon as he started trying to explain. "I know he didn't do fine because every time I looked up at him he was staring into space. What was on that paper you gave him?"

"You saw-"

"You, of all people? I thought that you, being Mr. 5 point oh and all, would be against cheating-"

"It's not cheating if he's putting down different answers-"

"But you don't know that." Seth grumbled at that.

" _Yes_ ," he said, "I do. Have a little faith." Roman let out an overly dramatic exasperated sigh, making both of them smile. They rejoined Dean, who was still off in his own little world. He looked up and gravitated towards them. They walked side by side to the exit. They both put their arms around Dean's shoulders, making his dimples strain with the effort to not smile. When they got outside, Roman headed for his mom's car while the other two headed home on foot. Maybe a Friday dinner at Seth's would clear his head. Only one way to find out, right? When they got to the neighborhood, Dean said he'd only be a few minutes as he ran into his house for a quick shower and a change of clothes. Seth watched his friend, (Should he refer to him as a brother? He didn't know yet) with a concerned expression on his face.

Seth unlocked his front door with his key and dumped his backpack by the stairs. He quickly washed his hands and pulled out several bowls, silverware, pots, pans, etc. He didn't know what to cook though. All he did know was that he was definitely making brownies. He got those prepared, not putting them in the oven just yet, while trying to think of what to cook. He settled on meatloaf, because it'd been too long since he'd had any, and some form of chicken pot pie. By the time Seth had put everything in the oven, Dean had returned in a different pair of jeans and a T-shirt too faded to read. He pulled at Seth's apron (Yes, he wears an apron) to alert him to his presence. The two toned teen turned to him and smiled.

"Hey," he said. "Food just started cooking, so it might be a little while before we can eat."

"That's fine by me. Gives me more time to spend with you." Seth really hoped the burning of his cheeks was not him blushing. Dean snickered and clapped him on the back. "By the way, um, thanks, ya know… For helping me with that, uh, test. I didn't copy everything, I swear!" It was Seth's turn to laugh.

"Don't worry 'bout it. Actually, it was Joe that freaked when he saw us in class earlier. He thought it'd be **me** chastising you."

"Heh, so did I, pretty boy." Seth flicked his forehead when he used that nickname, making Dean laugh softly. They joked around for a few more minutes, pulling things out of the oven, when they heard a car pull up in the driveway. Dean went to open the door, seeing his mom and Seth's dad walk towards the house. Seth went and got out plates and silverware to set the table. The four talked amongst themselves for a bit before the rest of the food was ready to eat. The conversation at the table was light, yet not completely comfortable. The atmosphere was weird and it eventually became silent. When they all finished eating, the two teens fought over who would wash the dishes next. Again. Seth took steel wool sort of sponges and stuck them in Dean's hair. Did he mention they had bits of food and soap still on them?

"Dude, gross." He said it with more amusement than disgust. When they finished drying the dishes, they all collapsed in the living room, making small conversations. Shane noticed the worried look on his son's face and Dean's melancholy expression that never seemed to go away.

"What's up with Jonathan these days? He just seems a bit… off lately." Seth sighed.

"His dad… His sentence was up a few weeks ago and now he's out of jail. Thing is, his mom isn't ready to work things out yet because there's so much going on and it's just… It's really complicated. Basically, Jon wants to see his dad, but his mom doesn't think it's such a good idea. Then there's even **more** family stuff goin' on, but…" He nodded, thinking about when Angie had first told him about their situation of sorts.

"I'm glad you're trying to be there for him. I'm proud of you for that." Shane hugged his son gently. Seth looked over at Dean, curled up beside his mom, holding her hand and rubbing her knuckles comfortingly. The two made eye contact and exchanged understanding looks. Just then, their doorbell rang. Odd. Shane went to go answer it and froze when the door opened. Dark brown shoulder length hair, a golden skin color, striking light brown eyes, and sharp facial features. Dean raised an eyebrow at her and looked over to his close friend. He became confused when he saw Seth's unbelieving expression. The woman at the door looks past Shane and straight at Seth. Her face went from serious to full of love. No one knew what to say, not really. By no one, that didn't include Seth.

"Mom?"

Closing A/N: Gah. I'm not happy w/ how this turned out, but I'm WAY overdue on posting a chapter. I'm splitting this into parts because each character is going to go through some trauma. Just a forewarning to all the readers. Also, who's hyped up for this Seth face turn and his rivalry with Triple H? I KNOW I AM! Even though I'm Team Smackdown, I've been a fan of the Game way longer than I have of Dean. Next chapter, as you can see, will contain some Seth back story. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Roman. I'll get to his story, eventually. Anyway, what'd ya think?


	12. Ch 11: Haunted (Part 2)

Chapter Eleven: Haunted (Part 2)

A/N: I just noticed this sitting in Google docs… unposted. Heheh… Oops. This was finished ages ago and… Ohhhhh maaaaaan… So, um, yeah. Let me just… The next chapter is in progress, and looking a little feelsy and angsty. Should be done in a couple of days... maybe. Here's the next chapter.

"Mom?" he asked, too shocked to say much else. "Mom?!" Seth exclaimed, not believing his eyes at the moment. There was no denying it. Shane seemed just as stupefied as his son and Dean's eyes went wide. Seth got up and took a few shaky steps towards the door, as if the floor would give out at any moment below his feet. She looked past her husband and to her son. He'd grown up so much in her absence. Shane stepped aside and allowed her to enter the house. She walked to her son, who ran and met her halfway, immediately throwing her arms around him, almost weeping. Seth froze, feelings mixed and mind blank, before slowly wrapping his arms around her and returning the embrace. "It really is you," he whispered, hardly believing it. She nodded and he tightened his grip on her.

"It's me, I'm real… I've missed you so much, Colby. My sweet child." Shane watched his family interact, internally cringing while doing so. This mood wouldn't last forever, they all knew that. "Shane," she called to him quietly. He looked her in the eyes. Raw, pure emotion was reflected in them and he just couldn't resist the urge to join the two. He sighed happily, his family whole if only for a moment. Dean clenched his fists, anger bubbling inside of him as he sat next to his mom. He was beyond happy for Seth. Really, he was. But that could be him right now. If his mom wasn't so stubborn, that could be him, his parents, and his sister. His family could all be together again and that could be **him**. He felt bitter now, wishing he could vanish right now and be back a little over eight years ago in the past. His life had been practically perfect then. Now…

"We can go if you want," Angie said, looking to her son and placing a hand on his shoulder. The three separated.

"No, no, it's fine! You can meet my beautiful wife now." Dean groaned internally. He had no interest in meeting the homophobic bitch who abandoned her son for **work** of all things. No thanks. "Maria, these are our neighbors and great friends, the Goods. That's Angie and her son, Dean. He goes to school with Seth." She observed the two. Angie wore a pained, but genuine smile and Dean had a scowl etched on his face. He sent a death glare her way before looking to Seth, where his gaze immediately softened considerably. Seth gave him an apologetic look as well. He knew Dean didn't think very highly of his mom.

"It's nice to meet you both," she said honestly. She shook hands with Angie and smiled at Dean, who didn't return the gesture, nodding instead. Angie saw this and decided to relieve some of the tension in the situation.

"Well, it seems you have some catching up to do, so we'll just leave you to it." Angie headed out the door, stopping after a few steps to see if Dean would follow. He shook his head. She smiled understandingly and blew him a kiss before continuing across the street.

"C'mon, Dean. We can just go upstairs-"

"Actually, I was wondering if you would stay down here?" Seth's mom asked, "So that we could all talk?" Seth stopped and considered it. He wanted answers. No, he **needed** answers, and to apologize for their last conversation. On the other hand, Dean looked ready to rip someone's throat out, so that might not be the best idea. His brother needed him right now (Yeah, that sounds just about right in his book. Brother, brother, brother…) and he wasn't exactly ready for this conversation anyway.

"I… I need a little time, mom," he replied timidly. Her face fell a bit. "Later, I promise." With that, Dean followed him upstairs into his room, where he collapsed on his bed and buried his face in his pillows. "Now I know why you've been so shaken up these last few weeks," he said to him. He rolled over onto his back and reached out for Dean, who had taken a seat on the edge of the mattress. The brunette hesitated, **really** hating emotions and feelings, but scooted closer and put his arms around the two toned teen, laying down with him.

"Why are you so… touchy feely with me?" Dean asked him hesitantly. Seth sighed, resting his head on Dean's chest.

"You're my brother, Jon. I know I have one, but you're like family to me. You're always there for me and I feel… safe… with you. Besides," he mumbled, "you're like a huge teddy bear when you're not being Mr. Tough Guy." Dean scoffed, but pulled Seth closer. He stroked his cheek comfortingly. Seth leaned into the touch. That's when Dean nuzzled his head into the crook of Seth's neck, trying to contain a smile.

"I like the sound of that. Brothers… The three of us, huh? Joe needs to be here." And, of course, as soon as he says that, the other Shield member opens the door and walks in. He smiles softly at the sight before him. It's almost sweet.

"Here I am. Figured I'd see how you guys were doing. That your mom downstairs, Colby?" Seth nodded, reaching out to Roman as well, who he'd texted earlier before and after dinner. The Samoan, wearing basketball shorts and a sports T-shirt, clambered onto the bed on Seth's other side, holding him tight. Dean then began carding his fingers through Seth's hair while Roman rubbed his side gently. "Don't start slipping now, Mr. Level Headed. We need you, man." Seth chuckled softly at that comment.

"Thanks for this, guys."

"Anything for you," Dean murmured. "Our baby brother." Seth was about to snap that he wasn't a baby, but he wouldn't dare ruin the moment. He contently snuggled with his brothers (That sounds even better) for a little while longer. Maybe the night wouldn't be as bad as he thought.

XxX Meanwhile, downstairs…

Shane and Maria were seated at the kitchen table facing each other, mugs of tea in hand, both staring at the wooden surface. Neither wanted to break the silence and get the conversation started. Neither knew what to say or how to say what they wanted to say. Neither wanted to deal with this issues between them. Eventually,after an internal battle, Shane spoke the first words. "What are you doing here, love?" he asked her. "It **is** good to see here, but why now? After all that's happened, after all this time, why would you choose to visit now?" She took a few sips of her green tea before responding.

"I've done a lot of thinking. **A lot**. I thought about what you said to me. And I am done." Done? What was that supposed to mean?

"I… I don't… understand," he replied. She sighed, pulling at her hair a bit.

"I'm done tearing this family apart. I'm done not being a part of my youngest son's life. I'm done not being the wife you fell in love with all those years ago. I'm done ruining so many people's lives unintentionally. I want another chance with you both." Shane didn't know what to say. He loved Maria with every fiber of his being and wanted her back in his and his son's life. However…

"You know how I am. You know how I think. You know how I'll respond. But… You need to convince our son of your intentions."

"Can't you just talk to him and-"

"He's not some scared little ten year old anymore. He's fourteen and has gone through things that a mother should've been there for. Where were you when he got bullied everyday at school? When he went to the hospital after being ganged up on at school? Where were you all those birthdays and holidays we spent without you? Where were you at our oldest son's graduation? What about when we moved in? The first day of school? When he made the wrestling team? Yes, he made the wrestling team, and he's still the top of his class. Did you know that he told me every birthday wish was for you to come home? He's been begging for you to come back for **four years**. Justify missing four years of your son's life because you care more about the money than your family." She didn't know what to say to that. Had she truly missed that much? Had he gone through that much without her there to comfort him?

"And you've raised him and turned him into the wonderful young man he is now? Sometimes I wonder if you two need me at all…"

"Don't say that. Of course we need you. We've just had to adapt to the way things are without you around. We want you back. Colby just needs time to come to terms with everything going on. Things are a lot more complicated than they seem. And I heard you two didn't leave on the best of terms after a phone call…"

"It was my fault. I… It's not that I don't like it or don't accept it. It just caught me off guard when he told me. I needed time to understand, to accept it. He must hate me for it…"

"Our son can't hate you. Colby is the most compassionate, understanding boy you'll ever meet. He's stubborn in his ways too, because that hasn't ever changed. I think he gets that from you." She laughed softly, making Shane's insides melt a bit. That beautiful laugh from a beautiful woman. "I have missed you for so long. I'm fine with you being here if Colby is. If that's what you want." A grin appeared on her face and she embraced him.

"I took the night shift, you know," she said after they let go. "So I could be at home sometimes. Like you wanted, right?" Shane shook his head.

"It doesn't matter what I want. All that matters is that our family is back together." She smiled and so did he. They looked into each other's eyes. That's when Shane began leaning forward. Maria met him halfway and their lips connected. Their passion and love hadn't weakened during the time they weren't together. It had only grown stronger. Seth was heading downstairs to grab a few snacks for the three of them when he saw his parents. He stopped and stared. Then, he smiled. That conversation didn't seem all that intimidating as before.

"And you chastise **me**?!" Seth asked loudly when the two broke apart. Maria jumped and Shane's head snapped towards the stairs. The two toned teen smirked as his dad huffed with a smile. Maria looked between the two. She had a lot of catching up to do.

XxX

 _Shadows linger, only to my eyes_

 _I see you, I feel you_

 _Don't leave my side_

 _It's not fair. Just when I found my world_

 _They took you, they broke you_

 _They tore out your heart_

Seth couldn't stop thinking about his mom. She had cooked a gourmet breakfast for him today, packed him a lunch, and kissed him goodbye out the door. It almost felt normal. It was anything but, of course. Four years was a long time to be away from someone. When you finally see each other again, even if you knew that person like the back of your hand, they're like a complete stranger now. Such was the case with his mom. He wasn't ten anymore. He thought and acted a different way, liked different things, different **people**. They were in a different state with a different school, neighborhood. He had **friends** now.

His mom had also changed. She was a bit closed off at times. When she was busy with work, she was dead to the world around her, so intensely focused and determined to get it perfect. She snapped at him once, when he interrupted her when she was going through the papers of a case. She'd immediately apologized and distanced herself from him for the rest of the day. She was trying to get used to actually being home, around her family, without getting lost in the house. She and Seth would trade off on housework, like dishes and laundry, even when both insisted they could do it themselves. She didn't smile as much as she used to. She didn't spend as much time with him as she used to. She didn't look at him the same way, or read his mind the way she always did when he was a child. Seth didn't know who she was anymore.

He knew his mom wouldn't be the same woman she was a few years ago with all the time away she'd spent. He never expected her to be so different either. She seemed to be only a shell of her former self. Seth wasn't the only who noticed. Shane had tried everything to get her comfortable while they were home together. He'd tried to be the best husband she could ask for. Nothing he did could bring out that sweet, kind, beautiful woman he'd fallen in love with, not permanently or for very long. Sometimes, he'd see glimpses of the caring, invincible mom he poured all of his love out to every minute of every day. They'd only last a few seconds, minutes if he was lucky. He just wanted his mom back, not this lookalike who claimed to be her.

Four years of being a workaholic had taken its toll on her. It had taken her heart and turned part of it black. It had taken some of the warmth from her. It had ripped out every motherly instinct and feeling from her and tossed it into an abyss. He'd been so overjoyed to get her back. Now, it only hurt more to know that she never really came home. She was still sitting in that office, typing away on her computer and looking through files.

"She just seems so cold towards me these days. She never used to be like that… It's like she's a completely different person." Dean listened raptly.

"Well, think about all this for a second. She's spent years away from her family because she wanted to make sure you could always afford a place to stay, food to eat, bills and taxes. She knew that if she stayed at home with you two that she'd lose sight of that goal. She shut away her mom side and created a businesswoman side. She just has to get used to being a mom again." Seth nodded. "And dude, it's been **four years**. She's bound to've changed a little. I bet you have."

"I know it's gonna take her a while to readjust. I just wish she was already readjusted to being home." The bell rang, signaling the end of AP World History. The two gathered their things and headed to AP Environmental Science. They were fortunate enough to be lab partners and they were doing some experiment to test pH in different solutions. Seth had some trouble with determining which numbers meant the solution was acidic and which ones meant basic. Dean gave him a look.

"Dude, what is goin' on with you? Is this because of your mom, 'cuz you guys complained about me when I was hung up on my dad. If I can't have a bad day, then you can't have a bad day. Smaller numbers mean they're acidic, bigger ones mean basic. Seven is-"

"Neutral, I know. And you were hung up for over two weeks. It hasn't even been three days yet. Cut me some slack." He poured the contents in the test tubes down the nearest sink and wrote a few things down in his notebook.

"Why hasn't Roman had to go through shit like us?" Dean asked, washing out the test tubes and putting them back in a storage cabinet. Seth closed his notebook and shoved it in his bag as the bell rang.

"Something tells me he won't have to wait long. Somethin'll happen."

"Gettin' that weird vibe too, huh?" Dean questioned. Seth nodded. "Well don't jinx it! What has Joe done to deserve anything like that happening to him?"

"Nothing! But you just said-"

"Forget it," the brunette responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. The two headed into the boys locker room and met up with Roman for gym class. They each got a hug from the Samoan before they started to change.

"Guess what unit we're starting this week?" he asked the two. They shrugged and Roman grinned. "Wrestling. Not just amateur either. You can hit and punch as much as you want." This news brought smiles to both their faces.

"So what? Is there, like, a ring with ropes and stuff out there?" Seth inquired. Roman finished lacing up his shoes before answering.

"You'll just have to wait and see." Once the three were done getting dressed, Seth ran out the door and stopped after a few steps. He beamed and so did Dean, who let out an overjoyed laugh. Roman stood behind them, ecstatic as well. Regardless of that, the three thought the same same thing, ' _This was going to be fun_.' What a field day they would have.

XxX

 _I miss you, you hurt me_

 _You left with a smile_

 _Mistaken, your sadness was hiding inside_

 _Now all that's left of the pieces to find_

 _The mystery you kept_

 _The soul behind the guise_

"For the last time, I'll help you when I finish this," Maria said exasperatedly. Seth had been asking for her help on a paper he was writing for his English class. It was some interview narrative on her that he was supposed to finish. He was asking her about what she did at work, what it felt like to be an attorney, and she just couldn't focus on him right now. "I've got a file I need to go through for an upcoming case."

"Okay, mom," he whispered defeated, pecking her on the cheek before quickly exiting the living room. She looked up when he left and sighed. She knew how much she was hurting him whenever she did that. She just couldn't remember how to be a mom these days.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself. The next few times Seth asked her for something, she made it her goal to let him down as nice as possible and be less of the ruthless attorney and more of the loving mom he remembered. It got to the point where Seth was about to leave the room, fuming with anger and frustration and using all of his self control not to yell at someone before she called him back. He froze in his tracks.

"What do you need, mom?" the two toned teen gritted out. She beckoned him over and he, reluctantly, complied. Maria shut her laptop, sealed her briefcase, and shredded whatever paper she'd been working on right in front of him. He gave her a curious look, all traces of anger gone. "What are you…?"

"Hello?" she said into her phone. "Yes, it's me. How much sick and vacation time do I have on the books?" She patiently waited for a response. "Excellent! Can you put down that I'll be taking the next two weeks off?" Seth gaped at her. "Gracias. That'll be all." She hung up and turned to her son, whose mouth was opening and closing with disbelief.

"Why did you do that?" He finally got out. She smiled sweetly and pulled him in for a hug.

"Because my son deserves to get back the mother he thought he lost. Besides, I'm out of practice." They shared a laugh and sat together in a comfortable silence on the couch, Maria stroking his hair while he snuggled into her side. "I promise you, I'm going to be like the mom you remembered. So," she mumbled about an hour later, "How about some of my homemade brownies?" Seth nodded eagerly and stood up with her. They were pulling them out of the oven a little later when Seth's phone started ringing. "You have a phone?"

"What's up, Joe?" he asked his friend. He was silent for a moment before trying to calm him. His voice was hysterical and filled with grief.

"Colby! It's my pa! He's-!" A sob ripped through Roman.

"I'll be right there, don't worry."

"Is everything alright?" she asked him. Seth shook his head sadly as he hung up and slipped his phone back into his pocket. He began walking out the door and across the street.

"Joe's dad was taken to the hospital earlier today. *gulp* He's in emergency surgery."

A/N: Whelp, that didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to. Um… So, yeah. Sorry if I killed the mood with that last part. Anyway... 


	13. Ch 12: Haunted (Part 3)

Chapter Twelve: Haunted (Part 3)

A/N: First update of the New Year!… About a month late. So, it's been a while. I wasn't really sure where to go from where I left off, but I'm in a mood, so I know exactly what to write. It'll probably sound a little angsty, but I owe it to you guys to update. I'm sorry that I haven't been more focused on this story and I promise to do better at updating. Eventually. Also, Ninjoy, thank you for the review. I can't promise that I'll stop with cliffhangers, because there's more tragic backstory to be written, but this is the end of them for now… I think. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

"We need EMTs down here, STAT!"

"He's hurt bad. We need to get him to a hospital."

"He's lost a lot of blood. He'll need a transfusion when we get him out of here."

"I've got a pulse, but it's weak."

"Sir, can you hear me? Do you know where you are? What's your name? How are you feeling?"

"Load him on the gurney. Get him some medical attention, now!"

"Sir, I need you to stay awake."

"Call his emergency contact."

"This isn't looking good. How long until we-"

"ETA is five minutes."

"Yeah, well, ETA needs to be five seconds. We're losing him!"

"CLEAR!"

"1… 2… 3… CLEAR!"

"I've got a pulse again."

"Is he stable?"

"No, 'fraid not. He's gonna need emergency surgery. Prognosis probably won't be good. How did he get all these injuries?"

"Well, he's a professional wrestler, so that would explain some of the damage. However, the bruising, the cuts, and… the twisted bones? I'd say he was attacked. He was vulnerable, had a concussion coming out of the arena after all."

"I've met the family. Sweet young boys and a caring mother. They won't take this well."

"Who would? He gets beaten up for a living and then gets attacked. I think everyone would lose their minds if it was their loved one."

"I suppose you're right. Okay, let's get him in there. Quickly, c'mon!"

The paramedics had rushed to the arena as soon as they'd gotten the call. A man had been found by a fellow co-worker and family member, bloodied, beaten, unconscious. He was heading for his car after a show, fresh out of a hardcore match. The trainer had looked him over, declaring that he had a mild concussion, dislocated arm, bruised knee, and should take time off to rest. Before he could get to his car, it seemed as though someone had hit him from behind and proceeded to savagely beat him. They would then go on to cut and stab him, and then bludgeon him with another weapon. He must've laid in that parking lot for a few minutes before he was found. When they arrived, they tried to get a response out of him. Both eyes were swollen to an extent, one swollen shut and the other barely able to be opened. He was barely awake until he was loaded into the ambulance, where it seemed they'd lost him for good. He was strong, to endure that much damage and still hang on. The hospital called one Patricia Anoa'i…

XxX

Patricia jumped when she heard the phone ring, almost dropping the dishes she was cleaning. It was around 9:30 and there was only one person who would call at that time. She instantly relaxed, picked up, thinking it must be Sika checking in on them, and smiled. The smile instantly evaporated when the lady on the phone spoke. "Mrs. Anoa'i? This is Truman Hospital. We're calling about your husband."

"What about him?" she asked, trying to sound unfazed and quell the fear in her stomach. "Is he alright?"

"He was found outside the arena he performed in. He was badly wounded and they're taking him to emergency surgery. I'm so sorry…" A cry of anguish was heard, followed by the shattering of china on hardwood. Roman practically leaped from the top of the stairs, running over to his distressed mother.

"Mama? What's happening? What's going on?" She sniffled, crushing him to her.

"It's your father. He… he was doing a show in town. He wanted to surprise you later when he got home. Then, the… h-hospital called. He was… It… *shaky breaths* He's in emergency surgery." Her eldest son crumpled to the ground. His father, who seemed so invincible, so strong, was probably on the verge of death at this very moment. He felt tears stream down his face, almost breaking down his door and running out of his house. His feet led him to Dean's house and he desperately banged on the cracked front door. The brunette appeared, looking ready to rip the bastard who'd interrupted his peaceful sleep's head off when he noticed Roman.

"Joe? What's the big idea? You tryin' to wake up the whole nei-" He stopped when he noticed the state his friend was in. "Holy shit. What the fuck happened to you?"

"It… My pa. He's… And I… The hospital called and… I- It- I can't-" He started hyperventilating, alarming Dean.

"Hey, slow down, big dog. Deep breaths. C'mon. Stay with me, man." He brought Roman in, closing the door behind him, and sat him down on his living room's poor excuse of a couch. He comfortingly rubbed his friend's back and got him a glass of water. He splashed it on his face instead of drinking it. "Okay then."

"Shi- I need to call Colby." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and rang up his friend.

" _Hey, Joe? What's up?_ " answered the two toned teen.

"Colby! It's my pa! He's-" A sob ripped through the oldest teen, cutting him off. "He's in emergency surgery, here in town. I- I don't know what to do! I'm over at Jon's and…" He couldn't finish. Who knew how bad his dad was hurt at this point. All he could hear in his head was emergency surgery, over and over again, echoing infinitely. Panic settled in as all the possible scenarios of his dad in the hospital played through his head.

" _I'll be right over there_ ," was the reply as his friend hung up. Roman dropped the phone and latched onto Dean, who sucked in a breath. Slowly, the younger teen wrapped his arms around the teen who was like an older brother to him.

"It's gonna be alright, Joe. It's gonna be alright," he soothed, grimacing at the tears staining his shirt.

"But what if it's not? What if he…"

"Don't think like that. He'll be outta there before you know it. He'll pull through. Have- Have a little faith in him." Before he could say more to comfort him, Seth almost took the door off its hinges, making it crash loudly against the wall as he made his way over to Roman.

"I'm here, Joe. I'm here. Everything's gonna be okay. Your dad is gonna be okay." Angie made her way quietly down the stairs, wondering what all the ruckus was about. Seth wrapped his arms around Roman, who buried his head in the younger teen's neck.

"He'll be in surgery for the next few hours. How will he, in any way, be okay?!"

"Your dad is a fighter. He's gonna pull through and he'll probably be smiling when he wakes up and sees you," Dean said. "You wanna go now and wait, or sleep a little and go tomorrow?"

"Now. Definitely now," he replied. Dean fished his keys out of his jacket pocket and stood up.

"Well, let's go. We don't have all night!" The two followed him out the door and he started the car. Patricia walked through the door and made eye contact with Angie. The two moms watched their sons drive off, tires screeching with the smell of smoke and burnt rubber wafting through the air.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. Do you want me to drive you there?" She nodded, tears continuing to fall.

"Please."

XxX

 _Why did you go?_

Roman was distraught. Why was any of this happening? Why would his dad be this reckless. No, that wasn't the right way to phrase it. Not reckless, but what other word made sense? You decide to try and head home, by yourself with, a concussion, deciding you want to drive when you can't even see straight and your equilibrium is off. Hmm… Maybe reckless wasn't so far from the truth after all. Nevertheless, the same question reverberated through Roman's mind: _Why_?

Dean's fast driving got the three to the hospital in record time. He drifted to a halt, not caring that he'd parked in a handicapped spot, before hopping out of the car and storming towards the lit double doors of the building. He kicked them in, startling everyone in the lobby. When they recognized him, they looked skeptical or scowled. What had he gotten himself into this time? When they noticed the two boys behind him, their expressions instantly changed, especially when they saw Roman.

"Alright, which one of you do I talk to about a patient?" The blonde behind the desk hesitantly cleared their throat. Dean's now frenzied eyes zoned in on her and the three made their way over to her.

"I'm sorry-"

"I've had enough of those words for one night," the Samoan growled, grief turning into anger and anxiety. "I'm here to see my father."

"He's in emergency surgery, and we're not letting anyone into the waiting area at the moment." Roman didn't know how to react to that.

"Woah woah, wait a minute. Aren't family allowed to stay here? And who bans people from the waiting area?" Seth spoke up. "Ma'am, just what kind of hospital, and I don't mean to be rude, do you run here?"

"With his celebrity status, I simply can't allow you in. It's a safety standard of the hospital. I'm sorry-" Dean banged his fists down on the desk, making the woman behind it jump back with a yelp.

"Listen, blondie, we don't have time for this bullshit! I don't give a fuck what your rules are! We have rights, dammit! Either let us in, or we'll force our way in." She tried to speak, but he wouldn't let her. "Don't! Even. *motions to the two* We'll be going."

Seth started, trying to convince him by saying, "Jon, hold on a sec-" He ignored him, walking towards the hall that led to the waiting area before one of the nurses shouted, "Security!"

"Shit!" Seth exclaimed as one grabbed him from behind. Roman saw red as two headed for him. When Dean practically bared fangs at them, they backed away. Seth broke free of the guard's grasp and got into a defensive stance, just in case. Roman mauled both guards that attempted to apprehend him before turning his gaze on the others. "Joe, that's enough!" Roman wasn't listening, sight zeroed in on the guard backing away from him. "Joe! Snap out of it! You can't see your dad if you get arrested!" That got the older teen's attention. He stopped, though the glare remained on his face.

"I would like to wait for my father," he gritted out, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just. Want. To wait for. My pa." Seth let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Dean raised an eyebrow, face becoming calm, surprised that Roman had control over his emotions again.

" *clears throat* Unless you wanna end up like your pals over there, I suggest you let us through. Now." The guards moved out of the way and the rest of the staff in view looked on transfixed. How do three teenagers cause a commotion and take down professionally trained security guards? "Thank you," the brunette said smugly, with a cold smile. Seth gave a quick apology as he followed his brothers, who both collapsed into chairs when they reached their destination. Seth joined them, snuggling into Dean's side and giving Roman a reassuring look. They had a long night ahead of them.

XxX

 _All these questions run through my mind_

The three had dozed off many hours ago, during which Angie and Patricia had arrived. The hospital staff was alert and jumped at the gentle opening of the doors, expecting more rowdy teens no doubt. They instantly relaxed at seeing two sensible adults instead. Patricia marched over to the front desk and calmly asked about her husband and if three young teens had burst in a few minutes ago. The blonde pointed down the hall towards the waiting area with an uneasy look on her face. Patricia, followed by Angie, walked in that direction, stopping when they caught sight of their boys, snuggled up side by side in uncomfortable positions yet so peaceful looking. Well, that explained the funny looks on the staff's face when they first came in.

"I'll assume it was your son that made them look that way," Angie said quietly, noticing the pained look on Roman's face as he slept. Patricia shook her head and sighed.

"I wouldn't put it past him. When it comes to family, Leati can be very protective. With all those looks though, I'm willing to bet it was all three of them." The two mothers observed as Roman made a soft sound of discomfort before Dean's hand snaked its way around Seth to hold his head. Roman briefly smiled before his face fell blank. Seth snuggled in closer to the ravenette and Dean wrapped his arms around both of them. The two chuckled at their sons before settling down in chairs opposite them. "Don't they have schools tomorrow? I wouldn't want them to miss anything because of us-"

"Don't worry about it. One day to support a friend won't hurt them. Besides, they're excellent students. They'll be fine. I'll call the school in the morning." Patricia didn't seem convinced, but acquiesced nonetheless. The two mothers observed their boys a little while longer, minds racing with persistent, worrying thoughts, before they finally succumbed to sleep.

XxX

Roman awoke slowly, puzzled at the comforting embrace he was basically wrapped up in and the warm presences at his side. That's when the events of last night came rushing to his mind: the phone call, Seth and Dean, getting in and winning a scuffle with the hospital security. He groaned, unable to rub the sleep out of his eyes and causing Seth to stir. The two-toned teen's head whipped around when he opened his eyes before landing on Roman, then Dean.

"Mornin'," he mumbled, his slightly high pitched yawn rousing Dean from slumber. The brunette went to withdraw his arms when he saw his mother's matching sapphire eyes begin to open. Seth, however, clung to one of them. Angie groggily laughed, making Dean blush and his two brothers smile softly at him. Patricia stirred and smiled lovingly at the three boys. Dean and Seth shifted to allow Roman a chance to sit up. The ravenette twisted in the chair, popping his back before stretching his arms out as far as he could. He then went over and embraced his mother, whispering words of comfort to her.

"Should we give them a moment?" the brunette asked. Angie shrugged, but stood. Dean followed and finally wrenched his arm away from his younger brother, opting to hold his hand instead. It was Seth's turn to blush and Angie sighed happily. Seth absentmindedly kissed Dean's collarbone, exposed by his sagging shirt. Dean gently pressed a kiss to his forehead in return. By now, it was almost routine whenever they slept in the same vicinity.

"I can go get us breakfast," the sort of redhead suggested. Seth looked to his crush, seeing the gears turning in his mind. He was thinking of something, and he didn't seem eager to share it.

"Me and Colby can get some on our way into town. I was gonna go for a ride, show him the rest of the city, check in with a few friends maybe…" Angie observed her son curiously, knowing that something was up but not questioning it.

"I'll see you back at the house then," she replied, though Dean could see through her false smile, even in his sleepy haze. With Seth following behind him, Dean grabbed a water on his way out, ignoring the glare he received from the nurse he'd snatched it from. He opened it and drank a few sips before passing it to the two toned teen, who did the same before passing it back. Dean took the bottle and splashed the remaining water on his face, both to wake him up and clear his foggy mind. He'd need to be 100% alert where he was going. He made it to his Camaro and opened the door for Seth, who gave him a kind smile and a quiet thank you. Dean got in on his side and started the engine, heading to the nearest diner open. Neither saw Angie get in Patricia's car and follow from a distance, driving in a way that made her look like she was just passing through.

"So, are you gonna tell me where we're going after this?" Seth questioned, yawning afterwards. The brunette took a deep breath and parked the car.

"You'll see," he replied, pocketing the keys and heading into the diner. The two took a booth near the back, Seth remarking how cliche the choice was. "Well, you never know. Some of that stuff is true, ya know." A waitress came by and took their orders, Seth asking for a glass of orange juice and a stack of pancakes with toast and a bagel. Dean requested a soda with a plate of bacon, eggs, pancakes, and a slice of pie. The two ate in a comfortable silence, accompanied by hushed chatter from other customers and the clinking of silverware against plates. "Think he'll be alright?"

The two toned teen shrugged, setting down his glass and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before saying, "He's Joe. There's nothin' he can't handle. He just needs time is all." When they finished, Dean left a few bills and a tip on the table as the two got up and left. Resuming their drive, Dean maneuvered them first to their street, where they changed clothes and Dean stuffed multiple holdout weapons into places Seth didn't know were hiding places, and then to the other, less inviting side of town. Graffiti was usually present on any wall they passed, shady, rundown buildings as far as the eye could see on some streets, a few stores here and there, a nice building every once in awhile. Seth frowned and looked to his crush.

"This what you meant about showing me the other part of town?" Dean turned into a subdivision, parking in the driveway at the end of the street. The house didn't look too bad. It had a brick exterior, gravel driveway, clean, curtained windows, a few bushes in the neat yard, a front door with chipped paint and a no soliciting sign on it, and a one car garage. Dean pulled a piece of crumpled paper out of his pocket, double checking to make sure he got the address right. He glanced at the numbers above the door. 195. Yep. Okay…

"Maybe." Checking his mirrors for signs of anyone who might see them, Dean declared it all clear. He shut off the engine and got out, accompanied by Seth, handing him a switchblade and then a fully loaded pistol. Seth accepted the knife, but refused to take the firearm.

"Dude! I'm not carrying a gun!" Dean forced it, with some effort, into the waistband of his best friend's skinny jeans, covering it up with his somewhat loose long sleeved shirt.

"Take it from me," he began, slightly pulling up the leg of his jeans to reveal a revolver stuck in his boot and a nasty scar a few inches above on his leg. It looked like someone tried to tear a hole in his flesh. "You'll want one in these parts. Never know what sorta people'll find ya, 'specially a pretty boy like you." Seth smacked his arm, alerting Dean to the bladed weapon concealed up his sleeve. He raised his eyebrows in shock and his friend just shrugged.

"Never know what sort of people'll find you, right?" The older teen rolled his eyes, walking up to the door and raising his hand hesitantly. He didn't know if he was ready for this. Seven years he'd gone without them. Seven years he'd written letters to a prison who knows where. Seven years since he'd had a little girl run up and punch him in the arm before engulfing him in a hug. Seven years he'd lived without the other half of his family. He cleared his throat and put his hand down, popping his knuckles and rolling his neck and shoulders.

"I can do this," he muttered mostly to himself, preparing to actually knock this time. Seth sensed his hesitation and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We can always come back later if you want," he told him. Dean shook his head, a determined glint in his eyes. Seth could also see the anxiety and uncertainty that resided there, finally guessing exactly where Dean had taken them.

"Hafta see them," the brunette answered back before rapping some sort of code on the door that sounded like some odd beat to a rock song. There were soft, light footsteps before a young girl, a little younger than Seth, appeared in the doorway. She had emerald eyes and wavy-ish reddish-brown hair and a few freckles scattered across her cheeks. She had the same kind of aura as Dean and apparently had his same style sense as well. A leather jacket hung around her arms over a pink tank top. She had on dark jeggings and a pair of worn high tops.

"Who the Hell are you?" she asked. "Some sort of fan of my dad's? Your eyes are wrong, ya know, and this isn't the safest place to be." Dean scoffed at her. Yep, definitely his sister.

"C'mon, Sylvia. Don't you recognize me?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"How d'you know my name?" she questioned. The brunette sighed before punching her lightly in the shoulder, receiving a shocked expression, memories flooding her mind, before engulfing her in a tight embrace and tucking his head into her neck.

"Missed you, sis," he mumbled into her skin. She gasped before wrapping her arms around him, a tear slowly running down her cheek.

"Jon?" she whispered, holding back a sob.

"It's me, Sylvia," he replied. At the same time as her daughter, Angie let out a sob, sitting in a driveway a few houses down. If she was here, then that meant… Her thoughts were confirmed when she saw her ex emerge behind Sylvia and wrap his arms around his children. She saw him reach for Seth, pulling him into the moment. Without looking back, she reversed out of the driveway and headed back to the hospital, about to take the next few hours to mull all of this over. When the four finally pulled apart, the sort of redhead glanced at Seth in uncomfortable confusion.

"Who the Hell is this, bro?" she asked, looking Seth over with silent judgement. The two toned teen fidgeted under her gaze.

"C'mon in," Bradley said, addressing the three. "We've got a lot to talk about, don't we?"

Closing A/N: It's late in the morning and I'm going to bed now. Next chapter picks up right where we left off after we get back to Roman. I don't know how bad Sika's injuries are going to be yet or what state he'll be in, so there's that. Also, Dean's mom following them and that whole thing. Yeah… She's not gonna let that go. Now then. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… 


	14. Ch 13: Reunion

Chapter Thirteen: Reunion

A/N: Between school, joining fandoms and going on writing tangents in them, and other nerdlike things, plus writer's block, this fic has been on the backburner. Fear not though, because I've managed to actually get this chapter done after months of rewriting it. Also, there are now basic chapter outlines until up to chapter 20 because look at me finally being halfway prepared as a writer. Updating still won't be consistent though, as I may go on hiatus myself once the school year starts. Fingers crossed, but it'll probably happen. Anyway, here's the next chapter, starting off with where we left off with Roman.

Roman took the seat next to his mother, taking her hand after Angie left, saying she'd get them food and come back. He took in her weary, heartbroken expression, laying her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath.

"He's gonna be okay, mom. He is," he told her quietly. She sniffled, frowning.

"I know that, but I'm just worried that one of his injuries will be permanent. Wrestling means a lot to him, and it would crush him if he had to retire because of this." She felt her eyes begin to water, but she fought back the tears. "I am going to give him such an earful when he wakes up! He could've waited a night before coming to see us. He could've gotten someone from work to drive him home. He, he-" An angry sob.

"What're we gonna tell Rosey? He called last night wondering where we were. He's at Galina's house right now, but…" Patricia sighed.

"I'll go get him later. I'm not leaving until they tell us **something** ," she stated firmly. As soon as she said that, a doctor, middle aged, tired, came up to them.

"The Anoa'is I presume?" he asked them. Patricia sat up quickly, hope evident in her eyes.

"How is he?" was the first thing to leave her mouth in response.

"He's not in critical condition anymore, though there were a few times we almost lost him." Roman let out a breath of relief, however small the relief was. "However, the list of injuries is extensive. Prior to the attack, Mr. Anoa'i had sustained a mild concussion, dislocated right arm, bruised left knee, and a sprained wrist prior to the attack. However…" He stopped, looking down at the clipboard in his hands and paling considerably. Roman would have none of it.

"You better not be withholding any information, doc, or you might have another problem on your hands." The doctor looked at him, annoyed, before continuing, nervously.

"The attacker used a small knife and lead pipe in their assault. He was stabbed in the dislocated arm and cut several times. They were all very shallow though, nothing life threatening. Then, from what police have discovered, a lead pipe was used to bruise a few ribs and his face, and knock him unconscious. He had a couple of internal injuries, but nothing overly life threatening. He lost quite a bit of blood. His condition is improving as we speak, however, so he should wake in a few days at most, perhaps a week if some complications arise." The two absorbed everything he told them, thinking.

"Can we see him?" Roman asked hopefully. The doctor looked at him sympathetically, smiling softly at him.

"We have to run a few more tests and check his vitals, but after that, yes. I'm sorry our staff was being difficult last night as well. Our celebrity policy states that any celebrity in the hospital is barred from having visitors unless they give the okay. It's more for their safety than anything else. We don't want rabid fans storming the patient's room after all."

"I… understand. I'm sorry for my behavior before. I thought I wasn't going to get to see him if something else happened."

"Forgive my staff for overreacting." He checked his phone, which vibrated from within his pocket. "They need me in his room. I'll send someone out when you can see him."

"Thank you," Patricia told him. He nodded politely to her and receded back to the patient's wing.

XxX

Bradley closed the door behind him and the three teens sat down on the worn couch on one side of the room. Dean sat next to Sylvia, pulling her into a one armed side hug, and Seth sat on Dean's other side. Bradley sat in the armchair across from them. He sighed, green eyes staring into the distance. He had hoped for the day when he could be with both his kids to come, but now he didn't know what to do. It'd been so long, he was afraid that he didn't even know them anymore. He probably didn't. They were kids when he left after all. He let out another sigh before he stood up and walked over to his two kids.

"Get over here," he practically weeped, crushing them in an embrace over 7 years late. The two accepted it gratefully and returned the gesture, Seth smiling gently at the heart melting sight. **His** brother would never allow that. It was a minute or two later when the three finally broke apart.

" *lets out a breath* Where do I even start?" Bradley asked, trying to get himself together. "I don't know what to ask first. I…" He looked to Dean. "How've you and your mom been, son?" Dean gulped, fingers tapping at his thigh absentmindedly.

"We've… we've been okay. Work hasn't been too horrible and school is bearable these days." He sent a quick grateful look Seth's way. "Mom is… adjusting to the news of you being back… For a few reasons."

"What do you mean 'for a few reasons?'" Sylvia asked him, the first hint of concern making its presence known in her voice.

"She… She's been through a lot of boyfriends in seven years, and now she's finally settled down with a guy. They've been together for… about two years, maybe a little less, and she really likes the guy." Dean's small fond smile faded, replace with a glower. "He's a sneaky, dishonest, untrustworthy, shady, no good son of a bitch if you ask me," he growled. "He's hiding something. I can feel it, but she doesn't believe me. My gut has always been right, and this time isn't gonna be any different."

"If he hurts her, you'll come get me so we can take turns torturing him, right?" Sylvia asked, sweeping a few reddish hairs out of her face.

"Now, sweetheart," their father began, though he couldn't help the affectionate smile creeping up on his lips.

"What? Jon's not the only one who can dish it out! If he doesn't first, I'll kill the guy myself!" Seth stared in amusement. She was the female version of Dean, which was a nightmare in itself, yet she seemed even more out of her mind than he was.

"I don't doubt that," Seth piped up, joining the conversation. He really felt like he should go, and Dean's sister's look further cemented the feeling. She turned towards him, almost irritated by his presence it seemed.

"And this clown. I'll ask again, blondie: Who the Hell are you and what are you doing with my brother?" It came out cross and threatening, though not as intimidating as she hoped. She was only barely thirteen after all. Seth regarded her for a moment with a frown, trying to figure out the best way to word his response. She returned the frown with annoyed, bugged out eyes, glaring.

"Sylvia," Bradley warned again, face more serious this time.

"What, some emo boy comes marching up to my porch behind my brother and I can't ask a simple question?"

"I'm Colby," Seth told her, keeping his tone of voice neutral, albeit a bit cold. "Colby Lopez, his…" he paused. After a moment, he finished the thought.

"Friend."

"Brother," Dean replied at the same time as Seth. They looked at each other, Seth in wonder and Dean as if the word choice was obvious. Sylvia watched the exchange with narrowed eyes.

"Mmm," she hummed in response, clearly making it known that she didn't like nor trust Seth. "Sure." There was a tense silence before Bradley spoke up again.

"But you've been alright? Money's okay, you have a car?" Dean fished the keys to his Camaro out of his pocket and set them down on the table. Bradley looked at them with a sad smile. "So you kept her?"

"Yeah. I work at an auto shop as a mechanic downtown. I fix her up, give her all the new parts, update her with the times. She looks a lot different, but it's most of the same material." Dean smiled a little. "She's my pride and joy."

"And you like it? Where you live, where you go to school, work, the town?" Sylvia gazed at her father quizzically. "Because you know you're always welcome here, if you need somewhere to go."

"No, I know." He looked at Seth. "I like where I'm at. There are people where I live who care and make everything worth it." Seth grinned, hand briefly rubbing his shoulder gently in thanks. "I think I'll be alright."

"Is high school okay? I'm only wondering because, you know…" Sylvia looked down into her lap. "No one talks to me or anything, not that I mind, but…" Dean smiled reassuringly, turning his gaze to her.

"They give you more homework, and you get stuck with the people you knew from middle school AND new idiots you have to deal with, but it's not too horrible. Besides, I have Colby and Joe to keep me on my toes if I start slackin' off."

"Who?"

"Another one of our friends. We're all on the same street," Seth told her. "We try to keep him outta trouble for the most part."

"Good luck with that. He has the worst luck I've ever seen."

"Don't I know it. Last week, he ended up setting something on fire during lunch because of something from science. We were outside for about an hour." She smirked sweetly. It was the first Seth had seen out of her and instantly the air became much more breathable, tension much less thick than before.

"What'd he set on fire?" she asked anxiously, eyes bright and curious.

"Some jackass's backpack who was messing with Colby during class changes. Scared the shit out of him and his pals, as if Halloween wasn't enough of a message."

"I heard about that actually," Bradley said, emerald eyes twinkling with amusement. "A friend of mine caught wind of your little incident at school. Looks like you boys can put up quite a fight."

"You don't know the half of it," Dean told him. For a while, they sat and talked about recent events, Dean and Seth about school and a few things at home, Sylvia about her time with her aunt.

"Uncle J didn't want to have to deal with me, so he took me to Aunt Claire's and told her what you told him. I haven't heard from him since," she told her dad, who nodded, head resting on his hand, lost in thought. "Last I was told, he moved a few states away for a new job."

"Did she treat you right?" he asked her. She shrugged, smug looking.

"Spoiled me rotten, so I guess so." The two continued to chat, Dean and Seth listening in.

"What've **you** been up to, since you got out?" Dean asked after a time. "Obviously you've got this place."

"I got a job, and I've got my connections- Nothing illegal, don't worry!" he assured as soon as Dean opened his mouth to protest. "They give me a ride to work and tell me about things around town. I don't deal in anything these days."

"I don't want to seem nosy or rude or anything," Seth interjected, "But can you elaborate on that?" Bradley didn't seem fazed at all by the question. In fact he seemed more than happy to answer.

"Weapons: knives, swords, guns, melee, legal and illegal, black market goods they don't sell in stores really. I am-was-one of three in the state, though my right hand man still has all my stock. Most of my connections are local, but I've got people all across the country." He threw his hands up. "I'm just that good. I worked in security. Basically, I was a gun for hire, in a way. The weapons were always put to good use because there's all sorts of people out in this city." Seth looked at him thoughtfully. "Why? Are you gonna go tell the police that I'm associated with the scum of Cincinnati?" His voice was light, joking. Seth laughed quietly.

"No, not at all." They talked some more until a few more hours had passed. It was about midday when the conversation began to wind down.

"So, what were you doing before you came over here? Don't think I haven't noticed it's a school day. Sylvia hasn't been enrolled yet, so she has an excuse. You however," Bradley started, addressing Dean, "Don't."

"We were at the hospital keepin' a friend company. His dad's in pretty bad shape, and we ended up staying the night with him. Mom said she'd call the school and tell them we wouldn't be there today. I… I thought it'd be a waste of a chance not to come and see you." Bradley's tone softened after that.

"Always lookin' out for family, huh, Mox?" Dean nodded. He felt a pang of sadness in his gut as he stood. Sylvia and Seth eyed him with confusion.

"Well, mom and the others'll be gettin' worried, so… I guess we'd better go-Not that I don't want to stay!"

"No, I understand. She'll be worrying her beautiful red head off about you two by now, won't she?" They were all standing now, Bradley and Sylvia engulfing him in another huge embrace. Pulling away, Dean thought he saw tears in his sister's eyes. They disappeared when she turned once again to Seth, face blank and eyes contemplative. Finally, she stuck out a hand, leaning forward on one foot with an expectant look on her face. Seth shook it, surprised by her strong grip.

"I still don't like you, Lopez, but my brother trusts you, so I guess I have to too." She walked past him to open the front door, whispering in his ear, "Just so you know, I don't care if it's ten days or ten years from now, maybe even longer. If you break his trust, if you break his heart, I will find you, and I will end you. No one will know what happened and it'll be like you vanished off the face of the Earth-"

"Sylvia, stop failing to be scary and let him go," Dean told her. She looked back at him with a vulnerable expression and he quirked an eyebrow. "I can look out for myself. Besides, he knows I'm perfectly capable of killing him if he does something." Bradley rolled his eyes at his children, apologizing to Seth, who shrugged it off.

"I signed up for it as soon as we became friends. I got a fair enough warning way beforehand and I'm not backing out now." With a nod and wave to them both, he followed Dean out to his Camaro, watching his brother's family stand at their front door to see them off. Now if only Roman's situation could be approached easier. They kept him in their thoughts as they headed back to their neighborhood.

XxX

Angie had returned well over a few hours ago, but her mind was a mess. How did he give Dean his address? Did he give it to him personally, or ask one of his buddies (she shivered at the thought) to do it for him. And Sylvia… Her sweet little girl looked just as worn out and closed off as her son, though the look oddly suited her, the mix of pink, leather, and short hair to match her own. Still, it saddened and (slightly) angered her that Dean neglected to tell her he was going to see them. She knew why of course, her reaction to his father's call probably still fresh in his mind, but it would've been nice if he'd just confided in her. They would have a **very** long talk about this when they got home. Right now though, her focus should be on Patricia and Roman. She looked to the on edge mother, seated by her still unconscious husband's side, holding his hand and mirroring her son across from her. The redhead stood behind her, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Patricia looked up with a small smile before returning to her original position, staring at the hospital bed.

"He's going to be perfectly fine. You know that, right?" Patricia laughed softly, though without much warmth.

"I wish people would stop saying that," she mumbled. "I know he'll pull through this no problem. That's not what I'm worried about. It's not just if his injuries last after he recovers, it's the toll this'll take on the two of us." Her gaze shifted to Roman, who had his head bowed, whispering in Samoan, father's limp hand firmly clutched in his. "Joe, he… He takes things like this, situations and people close to his heart, very seriously. He likes to hold grudges, feels he has to shoulder some of the blame for something out of his control. Once he invests his heart in someone… It takes a lot for him to recover when something tragic happens." Angie nodded.

"He's a strong boy. He'll be alright. He's got you and the boys…" She trailed off, a bitter feeling rising within her.

"Speaking of the boys," Patricia began, "Where did they go off to? Breakfast and a little sightseeing shouldn't take them this many hours."

"Dean mentioned visiting old friends," Angie replied rather blandly. "Maybe they're visiting."

"Maybe." She approached her son and shook his shoulder, startling him out of his trance. "I think that's enough, Leati. Let him continue to rest." She glanced at the clock on the other side of the room. "School's getting out soon. I can drive us home, drop Angie off at her house, and then bring Rosey here to see Sika. Should I drop you off at Galina's?" Roman could only nod as he got up and followed the two ladies out, throwing one last glance over his shoulder at his father.

XxX

The ride back was silent in both cars. In Dean and Seth's case, it was a somewhat comfortable silence, mixed with uncertainty and worry for Roman. In Patricia, Angie, and Roman's case, it was a melancholy, tense, mixed feelings sort of silence. Both cars stopped in front of Dean's house at about the same time, Angie giving the two a strained smile as they saw each other. They watched Patricia take off towards the other side of the street, presumably towards Galina's house, and began to follow. Before Dean was out of her reach, Angie caught his arm, squeezing slightly.

"We need to talk about something, whenever you get the chance," she whispered. Dean kissed her cheek.

"'Course, mama," he told her, before rejoining Seth. She sighed, pulling her house keys out of her pockets and heading inside. Patricia stopped outside of Galina's house, watching her son robotically leave the car, walk up to the front door, and knock. The door was answered almost immediately, Galina wrapping her arms around her boyfriend, pulling him close. He basically collapsed into her, clinging to her as they went inside. Rosey appeared in the door, exiting the house and joining his mother in the car. Patricia turned back towards the road, seeing Seth and Dean approaching in her rearview mirror. Roman was lucky to have friends as worried as them. She put the car into gear and drove off towards the hospital once again, ensuring to her son that his dad was just fine.

"On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think its gotten to him right now?" Dean asked lowly, concerned for Roman's health. Seth let the question rattle around in his head for a second.

"Ten," he finally answered.

"Twelve," Dean shot back. Seth stared at him. Dean shrugged. "You saw how he got back there. You thought I was bad…" They approached Galina's house, not too surprised to find the front door open and unlocked. They stepped inside and headed down the hall to Galina's room. They saw her sitting on the bed next to Roman, his held on her shoulder as she listened to him talk in a barely audible whisper. They looked up when they heard footsteps on the carpet, Roman looking both of them in the eye before casting his gaze to the ground.

"Hey, guys," he muttered. Galina rose from her spot on the bed.

"Tea and a little brotherly bonding will fix you right up, Joseph. Don't worry about it so much, alright? We will be here for you every step of the way," she comforted, heading for the kitchen. Roman looked at his two brothers again.

"Oh, Joe," Seth whispered, taking a seat next to him on the mattress and wrapping his arms around him. "We gotcha, man." Dean sat on his other side, one arm going around him, the other pulling their foreheads together, hand gently holding onto the back of his head.

"Just breathe, Joe. Everything's gonna work itself out, you hear me? Let us be here for you." Roman didn't say anything, just returned the gestures in silence. His watery grey eyes clearly showed despair and heartbreak, as well as a tiny bit of anger.

Eventually, he replied, "I know… I'm sorry…"

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"Y'all pulled yourselves together when your family stuff happened. Me? I'm a wreck."

"Dude, one of our parents showed up out of the blue. You almost **lost** one of your parents. I think you have a right to be all messed up," Seth replied.

"Honestly, you're fine. Just don't lose yourself in the despair, okay?" Roman could only nod and close his eyes. Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out… Okay.

"You shouldn't go to school like this," Seth told him. "Just stay home for a few days, recover-"

"What? I'm not injured or anything-"

"Bullshit!" Dean drawled. "I call bullshit on that. You practically got shot through the heart after that call, big dog, so yeah, you're hurt. You're injured. Don't try and deny it. Everyone can see it."

"Even if you're right, I can't miss school."

"Just lie and say you're sick," Dean suggested.

"We'll vouch for you," Seth added.

"Guys, I-"

"Nope." One word. Dean pulled back, arms crossed and face determined. "Don't even try to start. _Stay_. _Home_. You said it yourself, you're a mess. You won't get anything done in school and you won't be focused at practice."

"You guys were at school."

"Yeah, but our dads aren't in the hospital. This is not up for debate. I will have Galina and your mom lock you in the house if I have to." Galina snickered from the doorway at Dean's words, coming over and handing the mug of tea to Roman. He thanked her and took a generous sip, sighing.

Seth added, "Look, I'll show you the stuff you missed in class if you want and Jon can keep you up to date on stuff in practice, okay? Be with your family, man. You gotta remember that your mom and brother are hurting too."

"Alright, alright. I'll stay home, just until he wakes up."

"Good man," Dean told him, patting him gently on the back. The three surrounded him in an uplifting, comforting embrace, drawing a sad laugh out of the ravenette. He melted into it, and for the first time in a while, he felt a spark of hope that everything, school, their family issues, would be just fine.

XxX

Seth and Dean arrived at school without Roman the next day, drawing stares from many fellow classmates. The two stuck close to each other, wary and alert. "Do you think they'll try something since Joe's not here?" Seth asked at lunch, the two of them sitting at the far end of a table.

"Nah. They know not to mess with us, whether we're all here or not." Seth nodded before smacking Dean's hand, which was halfway towards his fruit cup.

"What're we telling Thatcher at practice though? Our next competition is this weekend and Joe really has been getting better. Dude's gonna have a cow at this point."

"Joe's got a stomach bug, throwing up his guts every five minutes or somethin' like that. Doesn't seem too out of place. We stayed home yesterday to look after him since his parents couldn't. Done."

"And if he shoots that down?"

"Well, he's just gonna have to deal with it." The bell rang, signalling class changes. They stood, putting their trays away and heading out. "That is later. Right now, we-you-have a project to finish."

"What, you picked the topic and you haven't done any research? Why do I have to do everything?"

"Hey, I found some stuff, but it's not like I read through it."

"The least you could do is…" Their bickering went on for some time as they walked through the hallways.

XxX

Roman found himself once again at the bedside of his father. He heard the heart monitor's steady rhythm of beeps, watched the _drip drip drip_ of the IV bag. He examined his dad's face, expressionless, yet somehow at peace. He observed the man's steady breathing, taking his hand much like he did the day before. He whispered well wishes in Samoan, eyes closed, grasp soft. He opened his eyes and pulled away, and for the briefest moment, he thought he felt the slightest bit of pressure around his hand. He looked down in shock, though the scene before him remained unchanged. Roman headed home, eating what little he could stomach and getting a fitful night of sleep, if you could even call it that. He repeated this for the next two days, and each time he pulled away, he felt his father squeeze his hand, the pressure increasing steadily each time.

It was the fourth day before anything major changed. It was Saturday, sometime in the evening, and Roman's ritual remained unchanged. This time, Rosey, Patricia, Seth, Maria, Shane, Dean, and Angie joined him, crowding into the room in respectful silence. They watched Roman repeat his words of well wishes before getting up to leave. As he did, he was surprised to find his hand caught in a somewhat strong grip, keeping him rooted to the spot. He let out a surprised breath, turning back to look at his father, whose eyes opened slowly. The first thing he saw was his son, who was damn near close to tears as he gasped out a weak and disbelieving, "Pa?" Everyone in the room looked up at that, relieved smiles lighting up their faces, and it was only then that Sika realized just how full his room was. He didn't recognize a few of the adults however.

"Who-?" he began, before he saw his wife stomp up to the bed, an agonized look on her face. He paled and the room erupted into laughter when she grabbed his ear and went off on him.

"The most irresponsible-! …scared us half to death! …ever do anything like that again, I'll-!" were a few choice phrases they caught. Roman wore a genuine smile for the first time since the situation arose, watching Patricia let go only to plant a kiss on the man's lips, telling him how much she loved him and that she was overjoyed he was awake and well.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friends over there?" he questioned, motioning to the other three parents in the room. They stepped up to the bed, each with a warm, friendly smile.

"I'm Shane, Colby's father. I'm glad to finally meet you, if only the circumstances were different." He nodded.

"I'm Maria, Colby's mother. A pleasure." Another nod.

"I'm Angie, Jonathan's mother. We're glad that you're alright." A smile. A nurse poked her head in to see what all the ruckus was about, grinning widely when she saw the patient awake and conversing. She observed the scene with fondness before going to grab a doctor. When they returned, they saw his son guffawing happily, eyes bright and atmosphere buzzing positively.

"As much as it pains me to say this, I'm going to have to ask you all to let him rest after we check his vitals. You can come back tomorrow morning when visiting hours start." Without much fuss, the room slowly emptied, Roman and Rosey the last two out. Rosey left after one last hug and Roman leaned his head against his father's, whispering he'd be back soon before leaving. Before they all departed for their respective households, they agreed they'd all get together for the holidays. Patricia, ever the planner when it came to this sort of thing, suggested they come over to her house. It would be a sort of welcome home gathering for Sika and a family gathering for the three families in the neighborhood. Everyone fell asleep with smiles on their faces that night.

Closing A/N: Aaaaaaand so begins the setup to what will be a **very** interesting Thanksgiving chapter. I don't even see how that many people will fit at a table, despite how big said table might be in Roman's huge house, especially when there will be extra guests. Apologies for any grammar or spelling mistakes. I wanted to get this posted ASAP. Also, who here is losing their mind over the whole Seth and Dean thing with teasing a sort of Shield reunion? Also also, Roman's crazy situation with Braun, Brock, and Samoa Joe.


End file.
